UNESCO trains teachers on ICT

Within the framework of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO’s), the UN agency is contributing towards strengthening practices for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by training teachers in Msinga District in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa.

ITRealms Online gathered that the on-going training is in support of knowledge creation, acquisition and sharing in the field of education.

The training session for school teachers which is taking place at the Lobethal School in the Msinga District in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, commenced since June 29 and is billed to last till July 12, 2009.

It was also gathered that elements of the ICT competency standards for teachers will be used in the training as communications access and connectivity for ICT services and applications in remote rural areas are in need of support.

Public statement endorsed by the Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, Mr. Abdul Waheed Khan, indicated that the Communication and Information Sector (CI) established in its present form in 1990, has its programmes rooted in UNESCO’s constitution, which requires the organization to promote the “free flow of ideas by word and image.”

The Sector he also said, provides the secretariats for two intergovernmental programmes; the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) and the Information for All Programme (IFAP) with three principal strategic objectives including promoting the free flow of ideas and universal access to information, promoting the expression of pluralism and cultural diversity in the media and world information networks as well as promoting access for all to ICTs.

In addition to the regular programme, the CI sector implements various inter-regional, regional and national projects with extra-budgetary funding mainly in Africa, the Arab States, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Equally, the Sector collaborates with UN agencies, bilateral development agencies, international and regional non-governmental agencies.

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