The internet revolution has changed the notion of “basic skills” at a fundamental level. In developed countries, that change is quite obvious—to be productive, you need to possess a range of skills to use technology effectively, whether you’re a teacher, a mechanic or a doctor. Information technology is so entwined in modern-day life that people lacking these twenty-first century literacy skills are trying to succeed with one hand tied behind their back.
In developing economies, the need for these skills may not seem as obvious, but that doesn’t mean they’re unnecessary. Farmers benefit from accessing networks with the latest market prices. Young people with otherwise limited job prospects attain skills that were unheard of just a few years ago, allowing them to become entrepreneurs or to seek new types of employment. Countries become competitive on a global scale because a critical mass of their population possesses the technical know-how to offer a range of marketable services.
What is amazing about telecentres is that they engage people and communities across this whole learning curve. Today, you can find telecentres that offer courses in almost anything that intersects community and technology: computer basics, job skills, small business entrepreneurship and media literacy. Students of all ages are using telecentres as distance learning centres, connecting to educational opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable locally.
people of all walks of life come to telecentres with a shared vision: to improve themselves and create new opportunities for their families.
Telecentres may be full of computers, scanners and other gadgets, but don’t be deceived. They are local learning hubs for personal development—knowledge centres for those who otherwise might have nowhere else to turn.
“If I had a computer, I would use it always,” says litter Silatikoun, an 18-year-old student in Luang Prabang, Laos, and a regular visitor at the local telecentre, e-way.
Laos: Linked for Learning
Computer ownership is very low in laos; only 0.33%. The transportation situation is also quite difficult. Only a few years ago, the journey from Luang Prabang to the Laotian capital of Vientiane—only 367 kilometres—took a week by river or days on muddy roads. Even today, less than 20% of the country’s 24,000 kilometres of road are paved, and there is no railway. With a population of about 5.6 million, less than New York or London, laos has only 15,000 Internet users and 117,000 telephone lines.
All of this explains why e-way is the place to go for people like Litter Silatikoun. But why set up a telecentre in Luang Prabang specifically?
“One of the reasons that we located the telecentre in Luang Prabang was because people there were exposed to so many tourists. They see the tourists using cyber-cafés but they couldn’t afford to do it themselves. The tourists and expatriates provide the example; the telecentre provides the means,” says Sombath Somphone, head of the Participatory Development Training Centre (PADETC), the nongovernmental organization that manages the centre.
Luang Prabang is certainly a place foreigners are drawn to. It’s a UNESCO heritage site full of Buddhist monasteries and an ambience unspoiled by time or foreign trade.
It is also a centre of learning that draws many young Laotians. Poor families from Northern Laos send their children to Luang Prabang to be educated in Buddhist monasteries.
E-way computer classes are often attended by groups of monks who need a computer-learning certificate to graduate from school.
It is this focus on learning that has become the most important component of the telecentre. E-way’s training programs have proven to be so popular that local young people often find themselves on a waiting list.
“What makes the telecentre popular is that we allow time for students and the public to come and practice in their free time, which is something no private training institutions allow,” says Sombath. Affordability is another factor. Mahesh Uppal, an independent researcher, has found that “the centre has significant revenue because its course fees are about 20% cheaper than those of similar private businesses.”
E-way runs six, two-hour courses every weekday. These courses provide hands-on training in Microsoft Windows and Office tools. On the weekend, the centre also offers English classes for school children, using CDs such as Go-Go and Jumpstart. These courses give students a foundation for future computer training courses in English.
Women from the local community are also a key target group for E-way. “Women should be active and become modern by using IT and developing skills in new technologies,” says Vinid Sengtianthr, a female computer trainer at the telecentre.
In addition to regular school students and monks, the centre also offers special training sessions for government officials. Courses for government officials integrate computer training with training in employment records, expenditure tracking, project funds accounting and writing official letters. More than 100 Luang Prabang district government employees have taken this training so far. “My colleagues recommended that I come and learn to use computers here,” said one welfare department employee. “They said that at E-way the instructor pays attention to students and teaches well.”
While most people think “Internet access” when they hear the word telecentre, E-way has only limited Internet connectivity. The connection is over a dial-up telephone line and is very expensive to use. As a result, the telecentre is online only when required for training.
Lack of Lao language content on the Internet has also been a deterrent. Plans to create a website with local content for young people were delayed until 2003 because of the lack of a standard Lao font. Now, thanks to a Lao script for Windows developed by an Australian, E-way has a test site up and running (www.mahasan.com).
Despite limited resources, E-way has a program of “training the trainers.” This program not only improves the quality of training at the centre, but also promotes local economic development and employment. “Out of the 15 people we’ve trained so far, three are still working with the centre. The other 12 have left the centre with better skills and are now working at other computer-related jobs. This has helped local businesses deal with a shortage of skilled people, which is a crisis in Laos.”
A former E-way trainer points out that the telecentre passes on more than just computing skills. “I gained leadership, public relations and teaching skills from E-way.”
As the reach of the global knowledge revolution expands, access to training like this matters a great deal, even—or maybe especially—in Luang Prabang.
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Egypt: Youth Clubs for Tomorrow’s Leaders
Since 2001, the Egyptian government has undertaken a campaign to bring technology skills to the country’s youth. It has established more than 1,000 it clubs offering a range of training opportunities for students.
“We were only taught with books at university, not with computers,” says recent graduate Mohammed Abu Bakr. Now an accountant, he’s enrolled in a club to enhance his computer skills. “Taking this course does not only improve my chances of finding work, it also improves the salary I will be offered.”
Students enrolled in the basic training course learn a variety of software packages and computer hardware mechanics. “The course teaches students to deal with computers from the inside out,” explains instructor Maha Mahmoud.
Recognizing that the clubs are an investment in egypt’s future, the government offers training for free; it even pays students a stipend throughout their enrolment. While funded by the government, the clubs are designed to function as enterprises managed by nonprofits and small businesses. Many students receive employment through the clubs, giving them valuable business experience.
For isolated communities, the government has launched mobile it clubs. Two container trucks with satellite internet access and computer labs have already visited 10 communities, each stay generally lasting several weeks. More mobile units are in the works as part of Egypt’s vision to ensure its youth will prosper in the twenty-first century.
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