Xnet Development Alliance Trust launched

Acces to IT is critical, says, President Sam Nujoma

President Sam Nujoma officially launched XNet Deveolpment Alliance Trust at A.Shipena Secondary School. President Sam Nujoma yesterday said it was essential for Namibian citizens to have access to information and communication technology (ICT) for the country to realise social and economic development.

Delivering a key note address at the official launch of XNet Development Alliance Trust in Windhoek, Nujoma said access to ICT was critical in today’s world. He thus noted: "Information technology is an important tool in the fight against ignorance as it has become indispensable to the world economy." The president highlighted government efforts in the provision of basic infrastructure particularly in the education and health sectors saying all Namibians, particularly those in the rural areas needed to have access to information.

To that extent, noted Nujoma, the government was expanding telecommunication infrastructure with the sole aim of affording those in the rural areas and less privileged societies an opportunity. However constrains related to inadequate resources and lack of capacity hindered government efforts hence the need for private sector participation.

Nujoma noted : " while the government is doing all it can to provide the much needed infrastructure to the people, there are limitations. The president called for increased private sector endeavours as to bridge the gap between rural and urban dwellers in line with Vision 2030 which among other goals sought to fight poverty and raise standards of living of the majority to levels equal or better than counterparts in the developed world. According to the president, hard work was the only way to fight poverty.

"You may be a philosopher, scientist but if you do not work nothing happens. There is no other option except hard-work," he advised. XNet Trust, a culmination of private sector initiatives and government was aimed at providing ICT infrastructure to schools throughout the country with particular attention on those from the less privileged communities. Statistically, an estimated 260 schools needed to be covered under the project which so far has seen A.Shipena Senior Secondary School among others having a computer laboratory giving school children access to Internet and ICT.

Joris Komen, executive director, of SchoolNet Namibia said the goal was to empower youths across the range. Komen said a target of 120 schools to be covered in the coming two years had been set hence the need for local support. However "Lack of ICT skills in the country especially in rural areas is a challenge," he said. Telecom Namibia managing Director, Frans Ndoroma, whose company set the ball rolling by providing N$13,5 million in infrastructural provision and maintenance for the coming five years said the XNet model was a solution with great potential.

Ndoroma noted that ICT helped speed up the development of the country hence corporate citizens ought to invest in it. Concurring with Ndoroma’s sentiments was John Mutorwa, Basic Education and Culture minister who made reference to the 1999 presidential commission of inquiry into education and training that among other findings, reported that there was lack of Internet access in schools.

By: Colleen Gwari