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d) Every cause needs a champion. The role of education in development places a special responsibility on the Ministers of education to be the natural champions for the cause of building the Information Society.
I am well aware of the heavy burden that ministers of education already. However I would like to suggest the following as areas we may look at for implementation in the near future and which we could be of assistance within the context of the NEPAD.
I. The question of the need for developing a policy framework for e-education or e-learning has been discussed extensively as needing urgent attention.
II. There will be a need to look at possible strategies aimed at not only ICT teacher training but also incentives for teachers to embrace this addition to their already tight workload.
III. The ICT sector is very challenging mainly because the technological developments are so rapid. It however requires policies. Familiarization with these technologies by policy makers is essential. The question of putting in place a framework to achieve this needs urgent attention and could be one of the important and urgent areas of collaboration between the NEPAD and UNESCO.
Chairperson,
I started my remarks by recalling the UNICEF poster. I would like to conclude by saying that one of the reasons why that poster meant so much to me is because as a child I grew up as a refugee in some of the African countries represented here today. I recall how every day when I woke up in Morogorogo looking at the beautiful Uluguru Mountains, all I could think of was not their beauty but the fact that South African Defense Force airplanes could emerge from behind those mountains and kill all of us in a few minutes. The difference between me and the child on the poster is that somehow I had hope, given to me by the warmth that I got when I lived with Tanzanians, Zimbabweans, Batswana and Zambians that some day we will be free.
Many children in Africa today however still live without that hope because of our wars. What is more frightening however is that many more will, if we do not act, live in a similar fear not because of wars but because they will be totally marginalized from the rest of world and perhaps re-colonized.
I plead with you therefore to take on what I have taken the liberty to defined as your natural champion role in building the Information Society in Africa so that as President Mbeki put it in his State of the Nation Address ‘ no African child should ever again feel ashamed to be an African’.
Much love to people of the world
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David Gomolemo Gouwe
May the Almighty be the hand that guides you and hello to you all, people of the global village!
I have acquired lots of working experience in my line of work and as an HIV/ AIDS, gender and sexuality activist. I am also a student studying towards my BA in Communication Science and LLB with the hope of becoming what life requires me to be. I want to fight questionable ethos and preserve human rights and to be an activist in critical areas of our social existence. Life experiences have made me the kind of a man I am. I foresee the best that my enemies would not understand, what I know and understand has made me a threat to most simply because of my direct nature of addressing issues as they unfold.
My advice to most young people out there is that it is never too late to change any bad habits and we are all destined for better things and please do not entertain anything evil. When it comes to work-related matters do not be scared to criticize constructively. Let your voice be heard by those who care.
Note that most will get promotions and you will be suppressed and the only thing that you can do is to not let your fears mute your voice. Most will wish that you were dead and some will send you a goon squad. Stand firm in what you believe. Be heard and emancipate others. Let your voice echo your good intentions globally. Fear no one.
You can try and e-mail me at gomolemo@thegolf.co.za . Please note that I represent people of the world, my features represent the African nation with Nigerian, South African and coloured roots. Let's talk some more and make the world realise that we are connected irrespective of our geographical barriers. I just love you all, people of the world. God Bless!
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