Project Details
Description
In development, the importance of ICT lies less in the technology itself and more in the ability to provide solutions to people’s problems
Layman's description
In part, the purpose of this research is to share the results with stakeholders. This is so they can discover how their actions might improve ICT conditions and other aspects of life. I am determined to ensure that the ¬findings bring to fore a real impact on the front line (e.g., the state, private sector and civil society groups) particularly, those behind the scenes (i.e. policy makers). For this to happen, the research includes a list of practical recommendations that are directly connected to the ¬findings.
Key findings
This report provided a detailed description of government-led Information and Communication Technology initiatives which have taken account of inter-stakeholder relationships to bridge the digital divide gap in Sierra Leone. The state, private sector, and civil society groups (stakeholders) were defined in order to identify the historical obstacles that exist at the macro, meso, and micro levels. The development management conceptual frameworks of competition, coordination and cooperation (3Cs) were used to explore specific historical processes that underlie the digital divide problem in Sierra-Leone. I have used secondary research methodology to gather ICT related information from government-ministries, regulatory-authorities, Development Management Fact-books, World-Bank-reports, GSMA-publications, and I/NGOs websites.
The findings show that numerous stakeholders are committed to raising awareness of ICT development, NGOs and CBOs recruitment projects to help convert audio-visual, stereo, radio and telephone services into online access. The government is also working with private sector service providers and NGOs to build multi-ICT-centers’ in rural areas for those currently excluded ICT benefits. The majority of ICT programs identified are in their formative stage; therefore, it is too early to make judgments about the overall impact of ICT programs. Despite this, the investigation revealed several limitations between government-led ICT programs and socio-economic development. The E-Government survey conducted by the Vice President's office reveals that the current penetration rate of the internet is 0.3% for dial-up and broadband services. A UNDP report has also confirmed that there has been a low level of ICT adoption in public services. This includes the location of public access sites, libraries, and schools. This is posing a significant barrier for those who do not currently consider such institutions as part of their lives. The majority of the problems identified were linked to logistics difficulties, physical connectivity and access to electricity, security and low levels of IT knowledge among educators.
The findings show that numerous stakeholders are committed to raising awareness of ICT development, NGOs and CBOs recruitment projects to help convert audio-visual, stereo, radio and telephone services into online access. The government is also working with private sector service providers and NGOs to build multi-ICT-centers’ in rural areas for those currently excluded ICT benefits. The majority of ICT programs identified are in their formative stage; therefore, it is too early to make judgments about the overall impact of ICT programs. Despite this, the investigation revealed several limitations between government-led ICT programs and socio-economic development. The E-Government survey conducted by the Vice President's office reveals that the current penetration rate of the internet is 0.3% for dial-up and broadband services. A UNDP report has also confirmed that there has been a low level of ICT adoption in public services. This includes the location of public access sites, libraries, and schools. This is posing a significant barrier for those who do not currently consider such institutions as part of their lives. The majority of the problems identified were linked to logistics difficulties, physical connectivity and access to electricity, security and low levels of IT knowledge among educators.
| Short title | Development Management (3Cs) |
|---|---|
| Acronym | DM |
| Status | Finished |
| Effective start/end date | 28/09/11 → 31/07/14 |