Senator calls for more awareness on ICT in country

More effortS are needed to raise awareness on the use and benefits of Information and communications technology (ICT) in the country because many Rwandans remain oblivious to digital revolution, a Senator has said.The remarks by Senator Narcisse Musabeyezu were made during a Senatorial sitting to discuss the relevance of the ICT Bill, for the first time, and after the Chamber of Deputies passed it on July 25.“The population, by and large, does not grasp ICT matters and, the perception is that it is brought from top to bottom without the people’s desired understanding. People should be sensitised on the benefits that can be ushered in through ICT,” Musabeyezu said.Minister of Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana, acknowledged the concern, noting that there is still a long way to go regarding awareness but that there is a plan and it is gradually bearing fruits.”According to Nsengimana, there is a long way to go in regards to matters of digital literacy.This he said is a challenge that everyone must help address. Digital literacy is the ability to find, evaluate, utilise, share, and create content using information technologies and the Internet.“Now, we are encouraging every district to go ahead and conduct their own awareness campaigns. It is picking up but there is still room for improvement,” he said.Why the Bill?Given the dynamic nature of technological advancements, a major overhaul of the legal and regulatory framework is crucial. “The convergence of broadcasting, postal services, IT and telecommunications, in particular has brought serious challenges to ICT regulation but with proper regulation, technological convergence brings a lot of opportunities,” Nsengimana said. “A good example is a smart phone that can be used as a TV, a computer, a phone, a radio, and can also track a message sent through postal services.” He said convergence leads to greater innovation in terms of services offered by companies, leads to more efficient use of resources, and facilitates competition by making entry into the market easier.Among other things, the Bill provides for the creation of a universal access fund which, according to Article Seven, will support universal access to communication services throughout the country so as to ensure timely and affordable services.Nearly 5,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable – including 2,300KM of underground cable – are in place, countrywide and nearly 400 government institutions are currently connected and benefiting. About US$100 million was injected to set up the current system and, nearly US$160 million more is required for the “last mile” to be set up. According to the minister, this is why Korea Telecom was brought in to provide funds and finish the job.

National

Senator calls for more awareness on ICT in country