ICT in Education/Change Projects/2014C Rwanda Self Learning IT

Will be updated on 10th February 2015 in a training program by the participants

Change agent : Munyemana Gilbert

Email :

Name of the organization : IDEMBE LTD

Title of the change project : Self Learn IT All _ Innovative Methods towards bridging Knowledge digital divide

Country : Rwanda

Started date : March 2013

Status (finished/ongoing) : Ongoing

Last Updated on

1. Background

Rwanda is a country envisioning a knowledge based economy and ICT is one of the cross cutting pillar of the national vision stated above. Rwandan citizens need to be acquainted with ICT skills for development and be enabled to use, evaluate and benefit from the emerging technologies towards welfare and productivity in their daily life. However, Rwanda like many other African countries is experiencing challenges related to the lack or shortage of skillful trainers in ICT for development, contextualized learning materials (most of the available resources are in foreign languages, others are in books requiring a high level of understanding, etc.) and the lack of self administered capacity building programmes for the working population. It is from the above backdrop that IDEMBE Ltd ( One of the few educational Technology companies in the country ) is introducing a change project entitled “ Self Learn IT all -(SELITA)” which aims at producing and availing ICT related self-learning materials .The project will contribute in bridging the knowledge digital divide.

2. Objectives

Self Learn IT all or SELITA project aims at equipping Rwandan citizen with ICT skills for development by
 * a) producing self learning materials in user friendly digital format (in mother tongue, with local example, easy to learn, flexible, etc.) and
 * b) deliver the materials through different devices (Phones, smart phones, radio, web, cd, dvd, etc)
 * used by all categories of target users. Different groups of SELITA material users will be able to learn by themselves, at their own path, whenever they want, wherever they are, and easily as if they are sitting with an expert teaching, coaching and guiding towards successful learning. SELITA will help in dissemination of ICT skills for development through a knowledge sharing between a limited number of ICT specialists with an entire population of Rwanda, the region and why not of the world. SELITA learning materials will be in form of online/offline digitalized short courses, which can range from basics of computer to software engineering or basic saving technics to ICT project management, etc.

3. Stakeholders

Per now, stakeholders are :
 * Higher Learning Institutions
 * Lecturers
 * Students
 * Other interested Parties

4. The Scope of the project

As stated above, SELITA will ignite a remarkable shift in the usage of ICT which is considered as pillar of the country development. SELITA materials will be produced for all Rwandan citizens interested in increasing their skills in the subject matters covered. In the beginning, however, materials will be grouped according to its target user group namely Early childhood communities, schools, universities, Vocational training centers, potentials employees, public and private employees, entrepreneurs, and other citizens. Considering user’s experience and needs the classification may be revised. For Life Academy program, the Blended training of University lecturers in designing and developing online courses will be considered.

5. Activities

The primary activitity will be the design and development of the friendly online learning platform and its hosting for accessibilty. The second main activity will mainly be related to the development of training materials. Most of the Self-learning materials will mainly be in format of instructional videos made by different specialists in subject matters. This will involve continuous activities related to hardcopy tutorial development, instructional videos recording, videos editing, delivery platforms for materials, learning evaluation, learners follow up and support. The above process will be iterative.

6. Expected or final result

SELITA project will result into development and awareness of a new and efficient way of teaching and learning ICT skills for development in Rwanda. SELITA project will help Rwanda citizen to learn a) by doing, b) by themselves and c) on their own pace. It will help learners to increase their employability, as they will be equipped with skills required by employers or create their own businesses. It will also allow employed citizens to satisfy their own capacity building needs as they will be able to learn in their free time. While the physical (Lack of computers and other ICT equipment) digital divide is slowly vanishing with the investment in ICT infrastructure and decrease in price IT devices, the knowledge digital divide level is arising and needs to be seriously addressed and tackled. SELITA Project will contribute in in bridging this emerging form of digital divide. Above all, SELITA project will be a great contribution towards achieving the national goal of transforming Rwanda into a knowledge-based society.

7. The Project organization