PRESENTATION TO THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMITTEE ON DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL POLICY ON DEPLOYMENT OF E-LEARNING
June 2012
By
Abdullahi MaikanoSecretary, Universal Service Provision Fund
April 2012
ADVISORY
2
Outline
Introduction
Structure of the USPF
Funding
Project Conception
Programmes and Projects
Challenges
Conclusion
3
INTRODUCTION
The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) was created in 2007 to ensure even development of telecommunications services throughout the country so that all parts of the country will derived the benefits that ICT provides.
This is to fulfill the World Summit of Information Society (WSIS) declaration that – Everyone, everywhere should have the opportunity to participate and no one should be excluded from the benefits the Information Society offers which Nigeria is a signatory.
The Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 mandates the creation of the USPF and the Universal Service Provision Secretariat (USPS).
The USPF is composed of an 11-member Board that articulates policies to achieve the objectives above while the USPS is to implement these policies.
4
STRUCTURE OF THE USPF
The Board has 11 memebers:
– Hon. Minister of Communications Technology – Chairman
– Chairman of the NCC Board - Vice-Chairman
– 2 Commissioners of NCC - Member
– 1 Representative of the Min. of Comms. Tech. - Member
– 1 Representative of the Minister of Finance - Member
– 1 Representative of the Chairman, National Planning Commission -Member
– 4 Private Sector Representatives - Members
The Secretariat is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the USP Fund and is headed by the Secretary.
5
FUNDING
The USPF has two sources of Funding
Primary sources:
Appropriation by the National Assembly
Contributions from the NCC, based on a portion of the annual levies paid to the Commission by Licensees.
Secondary Sources:
Gifts, Aids, Donation
Loans, Grants
Incomes from its operations and investments
6
PROJECT CONCEPTION
• USP projects are initiated using two methods
Top down Projects
Bottom-ups projects
• Top-down Projects: These are universal service and universal access projects that are conceived by the Secretariat to bridge the ICT gaps in unserved and underserved areas or communities.
• Bottom-ups projects: These are ICT self sustaining projects designed by Community-based organisations and local entrepreneurs with the aim of providing ICT services to organizations/communities. The projects that would be supported by the USPF will be socially desirable and economically viable.
7
PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS
Over the past five years, the USPF implemented the following programmes and projects:
Universal Access & Universal service Programme will drive increasing access to community based voice and data services on shared basis. This is being implemented through the Accelerated Mobile Phone Expansion (AMPE) and Community Communications Centre (CCC) Projects
Universal Coverage Programme will facilitate the availability of transmission infrastructure and connection to the national transmission backbone in all LGA in Nigeria and therefore ensure access networks that provides both data and voice services in all parts of the country. This is being implemented through the Broadband Transmission Infrastructure (BTRAIN) and Rural Broadband Initiative (RuBI) Projects
Connectivity for Development Programmes will facilitate connectivity for key e-services to institutions such as schools, hospitals, centres for the challenged groups, etc and promote a digital life style. Some of the projects being executed include the Tertiary institutions Access Project (TiAP), School Access Project (SAP) and E-Library Project
8
CONNECTIVITY FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES
This is the programme under which the USPF promote e-learning in the country.
The initiatives implemented within the C4D programmes are:
The School Access Project (SAP)
The Tertiary Institutions Access Project (TIAP)
The E-Library Project
9
SCHOOL ACCESS PROJECT (SAP) This project ensure the USPF promotes e-learning secondary schools by
facilitating technology-enabled learning. Students are able to collaborate with other students and the teachers would be able to give each student the required attention.
1153 schools have benefitted from the project in the
last 5 years
SAP OBJECTIVES Increased Productivity
Improved Learning Methods
Personalized/Self paced Learning
Access to global educational resources
Develop 21st Century Skills
IT awareness
10
SCHOOL ACCESS PROGRAMME (SAP) COMPONENTS
School server
School server
Digital educational content
Digital educational content
Connectivity• Broadband internet access
(VSAT)• 1 year bandwidth subscription
of 512/128 kbps • School wireless network
Connectivity• Broadband internet access
(VSAT)• 1 year bandwidth subscription
of 512/128 kbps • School wireless network
Alternative power5KVA Generator or 3KVA solar power system and UPS
Alternative power5KVA Generator or 3KVA solar power system and UPS
Access devices• 100 personal
computers for students
• 2 laptop computers for teachers
Access devices• 100 personal
computers for students
• 2 laptop computers for teachers
Capacity building for teachers/IT administrators
Capacity building for teachers/IT administrators
11
Valued Added Services• Specialized Curriculum based SWs for Education• Academic/Administrative Learning support tools• Student and Teacher electronic Evaluation Tools
Long Term Infrastructure Goals• Sustainable connectivity models• Technical training and support capacity for local schools• Community and lifelong learning supported by e-Learning
Evolving Better Value for Education Stakeholders
12
SUPPORTING NATIONAL EDUCATION E-LEARNING MODDELS USING SAP SCHOOLS
Central Content
Mgt. System
National/Regional Edu Dbase
Tools
National Education Gateway
• SAP next phase in deployed schools intends to support national e-learning models that seek to enable :
• Academic and administrative process automation• Publish Electronic Results, • Academic Performance Appraisals,• Platform for Teacher Evaluation and Monitoring. • Promulgate educational e-learning sustainability
NATIONAL E-LEARNING SUPPORT FRAME WORK
13
Education Web Portal/MIS
National Education Database
Internet
USPF SAP Model school
USPF SAP Model school
USPF SAP Model school
USPF SAP Model school
Students’ PCs
Students’ PCs
Students’ PCs
Teacher Laptop
Teacher Laptop
Education network via VPN
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE CONNECTIVITY MODEL FOR SAP
Model Expectation• Share community access Models• Telco's as connectivity providers andeducation content host• Central records repository for MoE• Localised school servers and Wimax
clouds covering adjoining educational institutions
14
TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS ACCESS PROJECT (TIAP)
A server A server
Connectivity• Broadband internet access
(VSAT)• 1 year bandwidth subscription
of 512/128 kbps
Connectivity• Broadband internet access
(VSAT)• 1 year bandwidth subscription
of 512/128 kbps
100 650v UPS
100 650v UPS
Resource Centre• 100 desktop
computers for students
• 100 computer tables and chairs
Resource Centre• 100 desktop
computers for students
• 100 computer tables and chairs Training of technology
champions in the institution
Training of technology champions in the
institution
This project ensure the USPF promotes e-learning tertiary institutions by facilitating technology-enabled research and learning. The provision of internet access would support
204 institutions have benefitted
2 printers
2 printers
15
E-LIBRARY PROJECT
2 Server systems with back up UPS
2 Server systems with back up UPS
Connectivity• Broadband internet access
(VSAT)• 1 year bandwidth subscription
of 512/128 kbps
Connectivity• Broadband internet access
(VSAT)• 1 year bandwidth subscription
of 512/128 kbps
Alternative power• 60 KVA Generator
• 50 UPS
Alternative power• 60 KVA Generator
• 50 UPS
E-Library• 50 desktop
computers • Computer desks and
chairs• Library software• 3 Air conditioners
E-Library• 50 desktop
computers • Computer desks and
chairs• Library software• 3 Air conditioners
2 printers, copier and 2 scanners
2 printers, copier and 2 scanners
The E-library Project is to create a platform to connect the existing libraries in the country to enable the sharing of information and other resources as well as connect to other libraries outside the country
A total of seventy-four (74) libraries have been earmarked to benefit from the USPF e-library project nationwide.
16
CHALLENGES
The key challenges of most development projects are:
Sustainability
Infrastructure backbone
Internet Access by satellite – most of the schools are not able to afford the cost and would therefore require continuous support of the USPF
Stakeholders active involvement in project.
The committee’ work could not have come at a better time than now.
17
CONCLUSION
The USPF will continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure that Nigerians benefits from the immense opportunities that the ICT affords.