ICT POLICIES IN ZAMBIA

ICT Policies
National Vision 2030
The National Vision 2030 is the Zambian government’s long-term plan “to be a
prosperous middle income nation by the year 2030.” The vision emanates from a series of
discussions with a range of stakeholders from civil society, the private sector, and within
government, and it articulates national and sectoral goals for the socio-economic
development of Zambian economy and society.
Fifth National Development Plan
The Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) represents the fifth of a series of
successive five-year plans to promote the social and economic development of Zambia.
The FNDP extends from 2006 to 2010 and has “broad based wealth and job creation
through citizenry participation and technological advancement” as its theme and
“economic infrastructure and human resources development” as its strategic focus.
Unlike previous national plans, the FNDP makes specific references to ICT development.
It proposes the installation of provincial and district fibre optical cables and the
establishment of rural community multi-purpose telecentres.
The FNDP represents the engine for developing other forms of ICTs including capacitybuilding
related to technologies and equipment as well as broadening access content such
as news, information, and knowledge resources by the general public.14
National ICT Policy
In March 2007, the Zambian government launched its national ICT policy. At the launch,
President Mwanawasa reportedly emphasised the creation of an innovative, market
responsive, highly competitive, co-ordinated, and well-regulated ICT industry.15
The policy identifies three goals for ICT:
• To enable a diversified and export-oriented economy
• To improve livelihoods and protect the vulnerable through service delivery
• To provide an efficient and effective public sector
The policy recognises the need to face the following challenges in education:
• Low levels of ICT literacy
• High cost of technology acquisition
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• “Brain drain” resulting in considerable loss of skilled personnel
• Limited local ICT industry
• Lack of standardisation and certification programmes in ICT
• Inadequate institutional capacity
The policy states that computer studies was introduced as a subject in public schools in
1998 and that Zambia’s private schools were producing ICT literate students. It also
highlights challenges such as the financial and technological resource constraints,
inadequate awareness on the benefits of integrating ICTs in the administration of the
delivery chain of education sector, and the high opportunity costs and lack of coordination.
While the policy does not provide clear guidelines on how the challenges will be
confronted, it does suggest the need to scale up the introduction of computer studies in
schools and the need to focus research and development on products to service the local
market.
ICT Policy in Education
With the support of the International Institute for Communication and Development
(IICD), the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), and the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID), the Zambian Ministry of Education had developed
a draft ICT policy for education by October 200616 and an implementation strategy by
January 2007.17 This represents an extension of Zambia’s national education and national
ICT policies. The vision is for ICTs to contribute towards reaching innovative and
lifelong education and training in Zambia by 2030.
The guiding principles of policy include the following:
• It must fit into national policies on education and ICTs
• There is a commitment to establishing strategic partnership with stakeholders
• There is a combined effort with government, the private sector, and NGOs
• The policy reflects general standards that the Ministry of Education wishes to uphold
• An integrated approach must be adopted that integrates all aspects of the value chain
in the education process
The policy also provides an overview of goals, objectives, and government commitment
in key programme areas of ICT infrastructure to education institutions, content
development, curriculum integration, teacher training, distance education, administration
and support services, and finance.
Linked to the policy is an implementation framework that sets out in detail the
implementation objectives, activities, time frames, and budgets for each of these
programme areas. It also outlines the ministry’s commitment to promote collaboration
between the private sector and education institutions and to establish appropriate
structures to facilitate the integration of ICTs in the education system. The estimated
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budget to support access to computer facilities and Internet access to the ministry
headquarters, provincial offices and districts; the 14 colleges of education; the nine
provincial, 78 district, and 400 zonal resource centres; and the 350 high schools and 460
basic schools is USD$63.6 million.
Current ICT Initiatives and Projects
Computers for Zambian Schools Trust
The Computers for Zambian Schools is a registered trust established by the local
educational and ICT specialists, representatives from the British Council, Ministry of
Education, and the Beit Trust. It operates as a partnership between the Computers for
African Schools, which is a UK-based registered charity, the British Council, HSBC, the
British High Commission, the Beit Trust, SchoolNet Zambia, MTN, ZamNet, and the
Zambian Ministry of Education.
The British Council has reportedly facilitated the import of duty-free equipment to
Zambia. The Beit Trust provided grants to the project and MTN supported the operating
costs for the technical centre.
To date the project has reportedly sent 4,500 computers that reached 300 schools in
Zambia. It is based at a boys’ high school in Lusaka where it takes in PCs and refurbishes
and redistributes them to schools to be used to support the study of computer studies.
The main activities in which Computers for Zambian Schools are involved include
training of ICT teachers, distribution of ICTs to schools, provision of technical support to
schools, and recycling computers in partnership with a South African company.
For more information: http://www.cfzs.org.zm
eBrain Forum
eBrain is a non-profit, membership-based organisation that promotes ICTs for
development in Zambia. Its objectives are to lobby, advocate, build capacity, and conduct
research on ICT for development issues.
For more information: www.ebrain.org.zm
SchoolNet Zambia
SchoolNet Zambia was initially established as a short-term pilot project supported by the
IDRC in the late 1990s. When this project came to an end, the organisation paused for a
while and was then re-started with the support of SchoolNet Africa and its partnership
with Multichoice Africa and the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA).
With the support of Multichoice Africa and Multichoice Zambia, SchoolNet Zambia was
able to promote access to satellite television and video in a few schools in order for
learners and teachers to access education channels such as Mindset Learn, Discovery
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Channel, and National Geographic. With the support of OSISA and in partnership with
Computer for Zambian Schools, it extended the PC refurbishment centre.
For more information: http://www.schoolnet.org.zm
OneWorld Africa
OneWorld Africa is a registered NGO in Zambia which forms part of the OneWorld
International online network of media and human rights practitioners and civil society
organisations. OneWorld Africa has been involved in lobbying and advocacy on ICT for
development issues in Zambia, including education. OneWorld Africa has an Education
Support Network Project that involves volunteers in the development of teacher support
materials for nine schools in the country. OneWorld Africa also has a collaborative
partnership on thematic channels such as its learning channel, which provides
information on education opportunities for individuals and institutions across the globe.
Another is its kids’ channel which provides a host of information and learning
opportunities for children.
For more information: Africa.oneworld.net
University of Zambia and Copperbelt University
The University of Zambia and the Copperbelt University offer computer science as a
study subject, and both institutions have invested in ICT infrastructure. The University of
Zambia installed PCs with Internet connectivity in its regional offices. The Copperbelt
University has a curriculum development centre that develops the syllabus on computer
studies for Grades 1 to 9 with Grades 10 to 12 following international syllabuses on ICTs.
For more information: www.unza.zm
UNESCO Distance Learning Course on Telecentres18
In 2004 UNESCO supported the establishment of three learning centres in five African
countries including Zambia. The project provided the centres with digital radios, data
interfacing equipment, and technical backup, which enabled large numbers of local
learners to participate in a course on telecentres. The course was delivered using the
combined live audio and slide show (CLASS) technology of WorldSpace Corporation.
Resource Co-operative Society
The International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD) supports the
Resource Co-operative Society in Ndola, which uses computers to conduct small-scale
training for students and members of the community in lifelong skills to improve their employability.