ICT gurus to learn from Thailand
Edwin Tshivhidzo
6 December 2004
Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri left for a week-long visit to Thailand on Friday in a bid to strengthen ties with that country in the area of information and communications technology (ICT).
The minister is accompanied by senior government officials from several departments, as well as from the State Information Technology Agency and the Independent Communication Authority of SA.
Matsepe-Casaburri said her delegation was seeking greater involvement by Thailand in African Union ICT projects through the provision of technical assistance and human resource development training for southern Africa.
"Of particular interest is Thailand's experience in the application of ICT to e-education, e-health and e-governance", Matsepe-Casaburri said.
She discussions would also be held on issues pertaining to ICT integration in the education system, and understanding the manner in which the introduction of ICT in Thai schools had
been sustained.
Areas of interest for the SA delegation will include the Thailand Information Technology Education Division, School Net Thailand, and the National Electronics and Computer Centre.
Other areas of interest include the Scientific Academic and Research Network, which is dedicated to promoting Thailand's Next Generation Internet, and Thailand's National Information Technology Committee.
The ultimate aim of the visit, Matsepe-Casaburri said, was to see South Africa and eventually the rest of the continent operating at the same level as the rest of the world in applying ICT to development.
Source: BuaNews
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