Memorandum
To: Veri Bold, President of the Democratic Republic of Berkmania
From: The Ministry of Education
Re: E-Berkmania – Why Learning Matters Most
Executive summary
The Ministry of Education welcomes the opportunity to comment on the best use to be given to the One Million Berkmanian dollars. We believe investing in Education is the best way to develop the country’s human capital and potential in all areas. While Berkmania needs an integrated and multifaceted approach to e-Berkmania, priority should be given to Education when allocating the resources from this special fund. These resources would be used mainly in the following areas: i) primary education iii) teacher training iii) community initiatives and iv) research and implementation of minimally intrusive learning techniques.
The importance of Education
- Apart from being a basic human right, Education is a key tool for sustainable growth, and economic development. We would like to highlight the critical role of ICTs in achieving the first UNDP Millennium Development Goals – to “Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger” and “Achieve universal primary education”.
- ICT can be used in different ways to develop Berkmania’s potential and competitive position. While Policy, Entrepreneurship, and Infrastructure are important components of an ICT investment “package”, Education is the central condition around which the others develop.
- Since the country is still in the early stages of ICT and education investment, it is imperative that the majority of the $1,000,000 be spent on ICT and education activities to lay the foundation to ensure that future investments in other areas reap the benefits hoped for Berkmania.
- Berkmania needs to have a critical mass of basically educated people to make it on the road to development. Until it achieves these goals it will not be able to effectively engage in other areas. For example,
- IT entrepreneurship depends upon a basic understanding of the technology, as well as basic skills and local human capacity;
- Policymaking, while it can serve as an enabler and ‘context-shaper’, can be void if the majority of the population cannot understand or take advantage of the policies to be implemented;
- E-commerce-related activities depend upon a market for the services and on an understanding of the services and the technology that is being used;
- The development of an IT services sector (e.g.. call centers, etc) requires employees skilled in using ICTs.
- We believe one of Berkmania’s best resources is it’s
people, and we argue that education and learning is the best way to
capitalize on that potential. This reflects the past vision of our country,
and we believe that investment in Education should continue to be a
priority.
Proposed projects
- Assessing the current situation, the needs in the terrain, and experiences around the world, these funds would be allocated to the following ICT projects:
- Projects at the primary education level: By raising the level of basic education in the country we can help form a more educated population and create the conditions to help alleviate the high levels of poverty felt in the country.
- Teacher training in IT skills and tools: essential for the successful implementation of the other projects and the evolution and effectiveness of education in the country.
- Community initiatives and collaborative learning: learning can be done in the framework of community involvement and initiatives. This will trigger wider participation of the population, and also build on a different set of skills: learning by doing, initiative and entrepreneurship capacity. These values are different from those on which formal education focuses.
- Research and implementation of minimally intrusive learning techniques, building on experiences around the world of constructionist learning using ICT: these techniques explore innovative and potentially powerful ways in which children learn, and can provide an opportunity to leapfrog the learning and development process, finding more effective and alternative methods of learning.
Conclusion
- ICT for education is not just about imparting ICT skills, but rather to use the computer as a transformative education tool to improve learning in other areas: investment in ICT and education is not only required to advance the e-readiness of the country but can also contribute to other areas of social, community, and educational development.
- ICT can be used effectively to improve and help on areas such as primary education, community initiatives, and development of new teaching methods. Berkmania needs to build human capacity by appropriately training it’s people.
- Investments in Policy, Entrepreneurship and Infrastructure should be made when there is a critical mass of ICT skills to be able to take advantage of the investments. Berkmania needs an integrated approach to all areas of intervention but priority should at this stage be given to education.