Announcing this, LPI Area Operations Manager for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Mr. John Meaney, said the development has shown the importance of Linux and Open Source Software in those countries.
“These two new affiliates are indicative of the growing importance of Linux and Open Source Software both in the field of education and Information Technology (IT) capacity development in Africa,” said Meaney.
He also said that there was significant interest in the region in Linux professionalism, which involves in ongoing discussions with other potential affiliates for the Middle East and Africa.
As said by him, LPI would be represented in Nigeria by Lifeforte, a member of Association of International Schools in Africa based in Ibadan, Oyo State in western Nigeria. While in East Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania would be the East African Centre for Open Source Software (EACOSS) located in Uganda.
He pointed out that Lifeforte is recognized as one of Africa’s foremost private, junior and high school establishments.
Chairman, Lifeforte International Schools, Mr. Johnson Olubi, said LPI’s vendor neutral Linux training and certification was a solid foundation for competence and relevance in both general computer literacy and the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) profession.
He also said that by introducing the LPI programme into the high school and university curriculum will boost educate and empower the whole younger generation concerning Open Source Software and accelerate the shift from compulsory, expensive, proprietary software to having the choice of Open Source.
“This, in turn, will make the acquisition and application of computers much more affordable and widespread; leading to tremendous intellectual and economic development in developing countries, like Nigeria, and others in the West African sub region,” he said.
Mr. Meaney further informed that representing LPI in East Africa, EACOSS located in Kampala, Uganda at the Uganda Institute of Information and Communication Technology would be championing the course in that part of the region.
Managing Director, EACOSS, Mr. George W. Lule, pointed out that the adoption of Linux in East Africa as well as migration from proprietary platforms to Open Source Software (OSS) platforms has always been hampered by the absence of skilled and qualified personnel within the region.
“EACOSS trusts that in promoting the internationally-recognized vendor neutral LPI certification we will see a substantial increase in qualified IT personnel and assure employers, clients and other stakeholders that they are entrusting their OSS based IT infrastructure to professionals who meet an international skills standard,” Mr. Lule said.
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