Minister directs public servants to enroll for ICT packages

 Minister of Information Communication Technology Frank Tumwebaze has asked all civil servants to go back to higher institutions to attain ICT skills. These include police officers, army officers and accountants as well as ministers.

Tumwebaze noted that officers in government departments have kept documents with torn papers yet there are innovations in the Information Communication sector to keep documents in a better way.

While touring UICT computer laboratory, students and space innovation at Nakawa, Tumwebaze told the officers to design computer packages suitable for every person in government and ordinary Ugandan.

"My concern here, why don't we see government sending army officers, ministers and police officers for ICT packages to this institution," Tumwebaze asked.

He added that government is very ready to support the institute but on condition they show their functionality. "Why should we have our documents in libraries with torn papers" He said.

Several continuing students exhibited a number of innovations such as water level detector, Electronic car alarm caller detector and electronic clap switch.

Tumwebaze challenged the students to have mechanism to develop the technology into useable solutions for most Ugandans.

Tumwebaze has asked for more innovations in the Information Communication Technology for economic purposes.

He said ICT experts in Uganda need to borrow a leaf from world leading social platforms like twitter, Facebook and email that have been able to earn billion of shillings compared to other companies.

Member UICT Governing Council Engineer Edward Kasule Musisi  added that for  Uganda to industrialize in the area of electronics there is need for middle cadre ICT Skills to man industries and assembly plants.

"The ICT sector has blurred the difference between white collar and blue collar. One needs conceptual managerial and technical skills. The structure of our higher education system is designed to produce so-called white collar workers. Those while collar workers need hands on skills in ICT, "Kasule said.

He added that a developing country like Uganda needs to have a double strategy of enabling policy and direct intervention in a sector such as ICT which is new and rapidly evolving.

Kasule reported to the minister about the lack of national policy and legal frameworks that currently challenged the status of UICT. However Tumwebaze said the government totally supports the idea and pledged more support.