2007年-世界发展银行全球_Survey_of_ICT_and_Education_in_Africa___Comoros_Country_Report_7页_262kb

ICT in Education in the Comoros

Core Content

This report provides an overview of the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the education system of the Comoros, a small and poor nation in Africa. It highlights the country's national ICT policy and the challenges it faces in implementing ICT initiatives within the education sector.

Country Profile

• Size and Population: Comoros is the third-smallest African nation by area and the sixth-smallest by population, with a high population density.
• Political History: Since independence from France in 1975, the country has experienced political instability, including coups and separatist movements.
• Economy: The economy is primarily based on agriculture, with major crops including cassava, coconut, bananas, and vanilla. The country has also seen a small development in the tourism sector.
• Poverty and Development: Comoros is one of the poorest countries in the world, with low economic growth and high levels of unemployment and illiteracy.

Education System

• Ministry Oversight: The Ministry of National Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports manages the education system.
• Early Education: Children start attending Quranic schools at age five for two to three years.
• Schooling Structure: The system follows the French model, with 8 years of primary education, 7 years of secondary education, and post-secondary education offered abroad due to the lack of universities.
• Enrolment and Literacy: Primary enrolment is high (85% in 2004), but secondary and tertiary enrolment are low (35% and 2%, respectively). Adult literacy is also low, with only 56.5% being functionally literate in 2003.
• Gender Parity: The Gender Parity Index (GPI) indicates limited gender equality in education, with lower GPI values in secondary and tertiary levels.

ICT Infrastructure

• Access Levels: As of 2004, Comoros had very low ICT access, with only 15 fixed-line subscribers, 9 mobile subscribers, and 1 dial-up subscriber per 1,000 people.
• Internet Users: There were 8 internet users per 1,000 people in 2004.
• Telecom Sector: The telecom sector was liberalized in 1997, but reforms have been slow due to political instability. The SNPT remains the sole provider of telecom and internet services.

ICT Policies

• National ICT Policy: Adopted in 2004, the policy emphasizes using ICT for human development, good governance, reconciliation, and reducing poverty.
• Strategic Axes: The policy focuses on building human resources capacities, promoting collaboration, and enhancing economic activities.
• Proposed Activities: Includes teacher training in ICT, awareness programs for education personnel, curriculum development, and software creation.
• Partnerships: The government aims to establish partnerships between public and private sectors and educational institutions to define pedagogical content and funding mechanisms.

Current ICT Initiatives and Projects

• University of the Comoros: Participates in the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC), which provides free digital content for education.
• CNDRS: The Centre National de Documentation et de Recherche Scientifique has a micro-computers and informatics training program, and some of its divisions are computerized.
• BABCOM Database: The Bibliothèque Nationale maintains a bibliographic database called BABCOM, based on CDS-ISIS.

Factors Influencing ICT Adoption

Conclusion

Despite having a national ICT policy, the Comoros faces significant challenges in integrating ICT into its education system. These include poor infrastructure, limited human resources, and a lack of gender-focused initiatives. While some projects are in progress, such as the VUSSC and CNDRS, the overall implementation of ICT in education remains limited and underdeveloped.