ICDL Africa Signs Deal with Gov’t To Teach Computer To Gov’t Employees

The International Computer Driving Licence, Africa (ICDL Africa) – the world’s leading computer skills certification institution has signed a 5-year memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance to train Uganda Government employees in basic computer skills.

Despite having tremendous policies and infrastructure to drive the digitization agenda, the digital skills of the Ugandan workforce are still low.

According to government assessment on the level at which Uganda is; in terms of policies, infrastructure, digital services, the skilling and research and development which the country requires to walk the journey of digital transformation, Uganda stands between 80% and 90% in terms of policies.

When it comes to infrastructure, government has rolled out internet connectivity through the private sector players, the telcos, and has also set up the national backbone infrastructure.

Uganda is at about 60% in terms of infrastructure to walk the digital transformation journey, and now aiming at 80% in the next year because government got a loan through the World Bank that was approved to extend connectivity.

Furthermore, government has moved some of its services online, such as applying for passport, procurement, business registration among others.

Despite all that success, the computer skills of many government employees are below 50%.

While signing the MoU in Kampala on Wednesday, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Dr Aminah Zawedde said that the deal will improve the 50% score.

“The skilling, we are not doing well, we are below 50%. Research and development is also a journey that we have to improve because we are below 50%,” she said.

PS Zawedde and ICDL Africa General Manager, Solange Umulisa displaying the signed MoU.

“But now with this MOU that is aimed at skilling all government employees/ government workforce with basic minimum digital skills, we will be able to get that score from below 50 to above 50% within the next one, two to three years because this MoU is for five years. I am sure by the time we are done, we shall be able to tell you the numbers where we are lying,” she added.

Asked why the Ugandan workforce is below 50% in terms of digital skills yet a bigger number of the human resource is graduate, Zawedde said, “we have graduates every year. However, [not all of them did computer related courses]. If someone did accounting, they have to know who to use a computer. If someone did human resource [management], they have to know how to use a computer. So, we have people who know how to use a computer, who have done IT, but many of those who have done other courses lack on the digital skills.”

With the MoU signed, Zawedde said government aims to ensure every government employees acquires minimum skills needed run devices and operate a computer system.

The PS, however, added that government is not only going to rely on ICDL Africa alone to train the Ugandan workforce, but also the Uganda Institute of Communications Technologies (UICT) in Nakawa where the ICDL training will be established.

“We are going to require training of lecturers or instructors of UICT to be able to train all other government employees,” Zawedde said.

“As the Ministry, we are in charge of all digital skilling in this country. We will invite or make a schedule for government employees across government to be training at particular times. But before we do that, we are going to do an assessment and find out where are we at in terms of government employees; who are skilled to what level, who are not? Because you cannot give the same training to everybody. Some people are already advanced and require advanced certifications. Others, are not yet, and require basic certification.”

Zawedde said government will first conduct an assessment for about two months to ascertain the level at which various government employees understand digital skills, and then draw a training plan.

Digital skills continue to be an engine in the digital transformation journey of Uganda, and according to PS Zawedde, as a government that is committed to realizing the digital vision through digitization of government services, it calls for a workforce of human resource that has the expertise and the know-how of how to handle this business.

The ICDL Africa General Manager, Solange Umulisa said ICDL qualification which shape Ugandan workforce for the better.

“We are committed to enable as many as possible to acquire the 21st century digital skills. Digital skills has become one of the essential skills in the changing world. For us to be able to cope with the changes, we  have to have the digital skills required. We have the responsibility to ensure that all Ugandans especially the workforce are enabled, and given the right digital skills to be productive in their work places. ICDL is an excellent qualification that will equip all the workforce and the citizens in the changing world and shaping Ugandan workforce for the better,” she said.

 

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