INSTITUTIONALMANAGEMENTOFNATIONALICTINEDUCATION PROGRAMMES LessonsforDevelopingCountries ByAlexTwinomugisha GlobalESchoolsandCommunitiesInitiative(GeSCI) Copyrightnotice

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Introduction Thesuccessfulplanning,deploymentandutilizationofInformationCommunication Technologies(ICTs)inEducationrequiresdedication,visionaryleadership,strong managementandeffectivecollaboration.Oneofthekeychallengesthatdeveloping countriesfaceishowtoinstitutionallycaterforICTsinEducation.Keyquestions thathavetobeansweredincludewhoisinstitutionallyresponsiblefortheprogram, whatfunction,authorityandexperiencedotheyhave,shouldaseparateunitor departmentorofficebecreated,howshoulditbestaffedetc.Thispapersetsoutto answerthesequestionsbydrawingonexperiencesinthemoredevelopedcountries aswellasdevelopingcountries. Thispaperusesthegenericterminstitutionalarrangementstorefertolinesof responsibilitiesandwhichunitordepartmentorofficeintheorganizational structureistaskedwithplanningforandimplementingICTsinEducationprograms, howitshouldbeorganizedandhowitshouldstaffed. DefiningICTsinEducation Perhaps,afirststepistounderstandwhatICTinEducationmeansandentails. ICTinEducationreferstoanumbrellatermthatincludesanycommunication deviceorapplication,encompassing:radio,television,cellularphones,computer andnetworkhardwareandsoftware,satellitesystems,etc.aswellasthevarious servicesandapplicationsassociatedwiththem,suchasvideoconferencingand distancelearningineducation.1ICTscancontributetosolvingsomeofthemajor challengescurrentlyfacingeducationalsystemsgloballyespeciallyintheareasof improvingaccess,qualityandefficiencyofeducation. ThesuccessfulintegrationofICTsinEducationrequiresacarefulconsiderationof severalissuessuchascurriculum,pedagogyandteacherpreparationstrategies.

Defined by Dr. Patti Swarts, GeSCI Education Specialist

 EmergingTrends AsdevelopingcountrieshaveadoptednationalICTinEducationprograms,ithas oftenfallentotheMinistryofEducation(alsocalledDepartmentofEducationin somecountries)totakethelead.WithintheMinistryofEducationitself,the traditionalInformationalTechnologyorITunithasusuallybeentaskedwith leadingtheseICTinEducationefforts.Inafewcountries,theICTinEducation programhasbeenledbytheMinistryinchargeoftelecommunicationsorsome othernationalICTplanningbody. However,taskingtheMinistryofEducationstraditionalITdepartmentoreven indeedanotherICTfocusedbodyoutsidetheMinistryposesseverechallengesto, andsomewouldarguemakesitimpossibletoachieve,theeffectiveintegrationof ICTsinEducationandtorealizethebenefitsthatICTscanofferinimprovingthe educationalsystemasawhole.ThisisbecausethetraditionalITunitsprinciple roleisfocusedoninfrastructureprovisiontosupporttheproductivityofthe Ministry.Theseunitsaremeanttoacquire,install,serviceandmaintainthe MinistrysITorICTinfrastructureinsupportoftheMinistrysdaytodayactivities. Theirroleisessentiallyoneofinstitutionalsupportakintothefinanceor administrationunits.Theyareoftenstaffedwithtechnicians,programmers, engineersorcomputerscientistswhodonotunderstandorareilltrainedor preparedtoundertakepolicyandstrategicplanninginvolvingbothtechnologyand educationalissuesdealingwithlearningandteaching.Inaddition,theseunitsare usuallyunderstaffed. MinistriesofEducation,especiallyindevelopingcountries,thereforeneedto reconsiderhowtheyinstitutionallypositiontheresponsibilityforICTsinEducation. InstitutionalArrangementsinAsia,EuropeandtheAmericas

Asurveyoftheinstitutionalarrangementsthathavebeenadoptedincountriesthat havealongertraditionofICTsinEducationsuchasIndiatheUnitedKingdom(UK) andUnitedStates(US)isinformative.Broadly,twomainapproachesaretobe encountered: 1. Anautonomousorsemiautonomousexternalorganizationoutsidethe formalstructuresoftheMinistryofEducationbutfundedprimarilybythe MinistryofEducation.ThisistheapproachtakenbytheUKwiththeBritish EducationalCommunicationsandTechnologyAgency(BECTA),2Irelandwith theNationalCenterforTechnologyinEducation(NCTE)3andIndiawiththe CentralInstituteofEducationalTechnology(CIET)4.Inmanycases,these organizationsaresetupasNotForProfitorganizationsorTrustswith charitablestatusandindependentmanagementandBoardofDirectors usuallyappointedbytheMinistryofEducation. 2. AninternalunitthatispartoftheformalstructuresoftheMinistryof Education.ThisunitcouldbeseparateorcombinedwiththetraditionalICT unit.ThisisthegeneralapproachusedintheUS.TheUSDepartmentof Educationhas,aspartofitsorganizationalstructure,anOfficeofEducational Technology(OET).ThisunitisdistinctandseparatefromthetraditionalIT unit(inthiscasecalledtheOfficeoftheChiefInformationOfficerOCIO). TheOETisresponsibleformaximizingtechnology'scontributionto improvingeducation.OETdevelopsnationaleducationaltechnologypolicy andimplementsthatpolicydepartmentwidesupportingthegoalsofNo ChildLeftBehindandotherinitiatives.Ontheotherhand,theOCIOis headedbyaChiefInformationOfficerandisresponsibleforadvisingand assistingtheSecretaryandotherseniorofficersinacquiringinformation

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http://becta.org.uk http:// www.ncte.ie 4 http://www.ciet.nic.in/

technology(IT)andmanaginginformationresources.Thesecondcase wheretheICTinEducationandITunitsarecombinedcanbefoundinthe StateofVirginiaintheUS.Eventhen,thetwoarereallysemiindependent subunitsreportingtoonehead.Thisisalsothesameapproachusedin Namibia. Aninterestingscenarioworthdwellingon,especiallywithanincreasingemphasis ondecentralizationofsocialservicesinthedevelopingworld,isthatarisingin FederalStatessuchasIndia,Australia,theUSandCanadawhereeducationisalso usuallyastateconcern.Inthesecountries,thereisusuallyacentralorfederal levelICTinEducationUnit(orcommitteeinthecaseofCanadaandAustralia)as wellasindividualstateICTinEducationunits.Usually,thecentralorfederallevel unitorcommitteewillberesponsiblefordevisingnationalpoliciesandstrategies andforadvisingandprovidingguidelinestothestateunits.Inmostcases,the federalMinistryofEducationwillprovidefundingtoboththecentralandthestate ICTinEducationunits. ProsandConsofthetwotypesofinstitutionalarrangements Anautonomousorsemiautonomousexternalunitpresentssomeadvantagessuch as: Abilitytoattractandsuitablyremunerateprofessionalandspecializedstaff outsidetherestrictionsofthecivilservice Flexibilityinprioritizationandfocusduetoautonomy

Thechallengestosuchanautonomousexternalunit,especiallyforresource constrainedcountriesaremany.Thebiggestchallengesareaconsequenceofwhat mightbetermedtheoutofsight,outofmindsyndrome.Thesechallengesinclude: LossofinfluencewithintheMinistrysincetheexternalunitisoperatingata distance

LossoffundingespeciallywhentheMinistryofforcedtomakebudgetcuts MarginalizationoftheunitintheMinistryscoredaytodayactivitiesandplans

Otherchallengesinclude: Anexpectationthattheunitwillbefinanciallyselfsustaininginsomeform whichisusuallyveryunrealistic Aninabilitytoattractandretainspecializedandexperiencedstaff.

Thesechallengesareindeedfacedbymanyautonomousorsemiautonomous entitiesthathavebeensetupinmanyAfricancountriesandassuchtheymustbe keptinmindwhendeterminingwhethertosetuptheunitexternallyormakeita formalpartoftheMinistrysinternalstructures.Thesechallengeswillinmanycases tendtosuggestthattheICTinEducationunitstandsabetterchanceofattracting continuousfundingandhavinganimpactontheMinistrysoverallstrategiesand plansifitremainsacorepartoftheMinistry. RoleoftheICTinEducationUnit WhetheritisaninternalpartoftheMinistrysstructureoranexternalindependent entity,theICTinEducationunitsrolesrelatedirectlytoimprovementofteaching andlearningusingICTs.Specifically,theunitsareresponsiblefor: 1. FormulatingandrecommendingpoliciesontheuseofICTinteachingand learningtotheMinistryandtogovernmentingeneral 2. Developing,managingandmonitoringimplementationplansandstrategies 3. ActingasstrategicadvisorstotheMinistryandthegovernmentonICTin Educationissues 4. Brokering,managingandcoordinatingpartnerships 5. Undertakingresearchandanalysisandmakingrecommendationstoschools, othereducationalinstitutions,theMinistryandGovernmentonmattersof ICTsinEducation

6. UndertakingprocurementofICTinfrastructure,softwareandapplications, content,systemsandserviceswherecostefficienciesandsustainabilitycan berealizedbybulkpurchasesorcentralizedprocurement 7. FosteringdialogueonICTinEducationissuesthroughhostingforums, workshops,conferencesandbringingtogetherkeystakeholdersregularlyto contributetothenationalICTinEducationactivitiesandplans 8. Enactingtechnicalstandardsandoperatingproceduresandguidelinesfor schoolsandothereducationalinstitutions Whatisimportanttonotehereisthattheseunitsaremainlyaboutproviding leadership,adviceandexpertiseintheareasofpolicy,strategicplanning, coordinationandprojectmanagement.TheseunitsdoNOTundertake implementationactivitiesalthoughtheymayoverseeimplementation5. SkillSetsandProfilesofStaffforanICTinEducationUnit AscanbesurmisedfromtheroleofICTinEducationunitsdiscussedabove,the typesofskillsrequiredtofulfilltheserolesisnotinanywayrelatedtotheskills oftenpossessedoftechnologistsortechieswhorunthetraditionalITunit.The followinggeneraltypesofpersonnel,skillsandprofileswillinsteadberequired: HeadofUnit

Skills:leadership,strategicandbusinessplanning,projectdesignandmanagement, educationalmanagement,policyformulation. Profile:somebodywhohasprovenleadershipandmanagementexperiencewith largeandcomplexprojects,experiencewithchangemanagement,visionaryand abletomanageandmotivatelargeteamsofexpertsandspecialists,abletowork withandmanageadiverserangeofstakeholderinterests,preferablywithaprior experienceinteachingorworkinginanacademicortraininginstitutionorarelated government,publicorprivateentity

An interesting deviant is CIET and the State Institutes of Education Technology (SIETs) which are heavily involved in deployment, mainly of audio-visual equipment, and training
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 CurriculumandPedagogyExperts Skills:curriculumdevelopment,assessmentstrategies,pedagogicalissues, educationalmanagement. Profile:somebodywithadegreeoradvanceddegreeinEducation,experiencein teaching/training,andexperienceworkingwithcurriculumdesign,assessmentand pedagogy EducationalTechnologists Skills:managingtechnology,goodunderstandingofICTinfrastructure,hardware, softwareandconnectivityissues,experiencedevelopingstandards. Profile:somebodywithadegreeineducationandtechnologyoreducational technology,experiencewithonlineorelearningorteachingusingICTs,experience indesigningtechnologystandards ProjectManagers Skills:projectdesignandmanagement,teambuilding,stakeholdermanagement, effectivecommunication,strategicplanning,financialplanningorbudgeting. Profile:experiencedesigningandmanaginglargescaleprojectsandexperience developingfinancialandcostingmodels ContentDevelopersandInstructionalDesigners Skills:contentdevelopment,familiaritywithinstructionaldesignstrategies,good understandingofpedagogicalissues. Profile:priorexperienceasteacherortrainerwithexperiencedevelopingor evaluatingecontent MonitoringandEvaluationexperts Skillsdevelopingevaluationplans,writingreports,carryingoutbaselinestudies, projectmanagement.

Profileexperiencedevelopingandimplementingmonitoringandevaluationof largeandcomplexprogramspreferablyintheeducationortrainingsector. Thisisnotacomprehensivelistofskillsandjobprofilesbutisonlyasummaryof someofthemorerelevantandcriticalonestohaveintheICT4Eunit.Theactual numbers,profiles,typesandmixtureofskillswilldependontheparticular Ministryspriorities,capacities,strategiesandplans. BasicSetupandStaffingPlanforanICTinEducationUnit AbasicorganizationalsetupandstaffingplanforanICTinEducationunitcouldlook likethis: HeadoftheUnitresponsibleformanagingtheunit,providingleadership, advisingtheMinistryandGovernment,leadingnegotiationswithPartners, leadingthepolicyandimplementationplanmakingprocesses,raisingfunds. Thisshouldbesomebodywithrealauthoritypreferablyatseniormanagement levelorequivalent. Aprojectmanagementspecialistwhowillensuredaytodaycoordinationofthe variouspartnersandtheiractivities,oversee/monitortheimplementationplan onceitsinplace,ensureefficientcommunicationswithallstakeholdersboth internalandexternal(includingthingslikeupdatingwebsite),actassecretaryto theworkinggroupsortaskforcecommittees,updatetheICT4Ewebsiteand overseeandmonitorcontractssignedbytheMinistrytodeliverICT4Eproducts andservices.ThispersoncanalsoworkwithaMonitoringandEvaluation(M&E) consultantifthereisnodedicatedM&EpersoninternallyintheMinistry. AneducationaltechnologisttoprovidestrategicadviceonICTmatters, undertakeresearchonpromisingpracticesinthefield,provideexpertinputinto thepolicyandimplementationplan,overseesomeactivitieslikedevelopingand enforcingICTstandards,connectivityissuesandmaintenanceandtechnical

supportinschools,reviewproposalsandprojectswithafocusonICT components,andliaisewiththetraditionalITunitasandwhenrequired. Acurriculum/contentdevelopmentexperttoprovidestrategicadviceon teachingandlearningissuesandtheintegrationofICTsinthecurriculum,liaise withthecurriculumdevelopmentandteachertrainingunitsonadaytoday basis,beafocalpointforcontentbasedprojects/partners,overseeevaluationof digitalcontent,andreviewproposalsandprojectswithafocusoncontentand training. Admin/secretary/supportperson

Withlimitedresourcesorintheinitialstages,M&Ecouldbebetterdonebyan external/independententitytoensureobjectivityandlimitbias.IftheMinistry doesnthaveanM&Eunit,thenperhapsconsultantscanbeusedorelsetheroleof schoolinspectorscouldbeexpandedtoincludeanICTbrief. Thisisbutanexampleofabasicstaffingplan.IndividualcountriesandMinistries shouldcarefullyconsidertheirownplans,strategies,priorities,resourcesand constraintswithintheirowncontextsandenvironmentswhenmakingtheirbasic staffingplans. ApproachtoImplementation Inundertakingactualimplementationactivitiesincludingdeliveringandinstalling theICTs,trainingteachers,maintainingandservicingtheequipmentandevenin monitoringandevaluation,theMinistryofEducationoftenreliesonavarietyof independentandexternalorganizationsthatincludepublicorganizations(e.g.the powerortelecomscompany),NGOsandprivatesectororganizations.Thenatureof therelationshipbetweentheMinistryandtheseorganizationsusuallytakesseveral formsincluding:

Contractual,orcustomersupplierrelationshipespeciallywheretheMinistryis paying, Partnership,especiallywheretheNGOorprivatesectorcompanyisproviding significantresources, Oracombinationofbothrelationships.

Inafewothercases,theMinistryhassetupexternalorganizationsspecificallyto handleimplementationsuchastheNationalEducationalTechnicalSupportand Service(NETSS)CenterinNamibia6.TheAustraliangovernmentsetupeducation.au Limited7toundertakedevelopmentofcontent.Inothercases,thegovernmentfunds anexistingNGOsuchasisthecaseinCanadawherethefederalgovernmentfunds SchoolNetCanadawhichdistributescomputerstoschools. TheroleoftheICTinEducationunitinthiscaseistomonitortheperformanceof theseexternalorganizationstoensurethattheimplementationplans,technical standardsandpolicyrequirementsarebeingmet. ICTinEducationCommitteesandWorkingGroups Aswellashavingadedicatedpolicyandstrategyunits,mostMinistriesofEducation havealsoestablishedICTinEducationcommittees,workinggroupsortaskforces. Theseareusuallycomposedofmembersofvariousstakeholdergroupsincluding othergovernmentministries,publicorganizations,NGOs,schools,universitiesand privatesectororganizations.Theroleofthesecommitteesislargelythatof providingstrategicadviceandinputtothepolicyandstrategicplanningprocess, ensuringparticipationofthewiderstakeholderbody,andensuringcoordination acrossvariousothersectors. Forexample,inIreland,theDepartmentofEducationhassetupaNationalPolicy andAdvisoryDevelopmentCommitteewhoseprimaryfunctionistoadvisethe

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See http://www.netss.org.na/ See http://www.educationau.edu.au

MinisterforEducationandScienceontheroleofInformationandCommunication Technologies(ICT)intheIrisheducationsystem8.TheStateofVirginiaintheUS alsocreatedTheVirginiaEducationalTechnologyAdvisoryCommittee(VETAC) dedicatedtoservingtheCommonwealth'seducationalcommunitybyadvisingthe BoardofEducationthroughtheStateSuperintendentforPublicInstructionon educationaltechnologymatters.9AustraliahasestablishedtheAustralian InformationandCommunicationsTechnologyinEducationCommittee(AICTEC) whichisacrosssectoral,nationalcommitteeresponsibleforprovidingadvicetoall AustralianMinistersofEducationandTrainingontheeconomicandeffective utilisationofonlinetechnologiesinAustralianeducationandtraining.10 Apartfromthenationalcrosssectoralcommittees,anotherimportantcommitteeor workinggrouptoconsiderisaninternalMinistryinterdepartmentalcommittee. Suchacommitteewouldcompriseofheadsorseniorstaffofkeyunitsor departmentssuchascurriculumdevelopment,teachertraining,planningand financeandadministration.Thiscommitteewillensurethatthereisbuyinand supportacrosstheboardintheMinistry,thatallunitsinputsarecaptured,thatall unitsarekeptintheloopandthattheICTinEducationunitisabletoleveragethe resourcesandexpertiseavailabletotheseotherunits.Suchacommitteeshouldbe chairedbythehighestcivilservantintheMinistry(usuallycalledthePermanent Secretary,SecretaryGeneralorChiefDirectorinmostMinistriesandDepartments ofEducation)toensureleadershipofICTinEducationinitiativesfromthetop.Such acommitteecouldmeetatleastonceeveryquartertodiscussprojects,progressand plans. LessonsforDevelopingCountries Fromananalysisofinstitutionalarrangementsinthemoredevelopedworld,the followinglessonscanbetakenasencouragingorpromisingpractice:

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http://www.ncte.ie/npadc/" http://www.pen.k12.va.us/Div/VETAC/ 10 http://www.aictec.edu.au/aictec/about

 TheICTinEducationunitshouldbeseparatefromthetraditionalITunit.Where thetwoarecombined,theICTinEducationsubunitshouldhavealargedegree ofautonomyandindependence. TheICTinEducationunitisresponsibleforprovidingleadership,adviceand expertiseintheareasofpolicy,strategicplanning,coordinationandproject managementandnotresponsibleforimplementingprojects,maintainingor servicingequipment. EstablishanICTinEducationnationalcommitteethatbringstogetherthe diverserangeofstakeholdersincludingschools,othergovernmentdepartments, keyNGOsandprivatesectorcompaniestoprovidestrategicadvicetothe MinistryofEducationandtheICTinEducationUnit.ThisCommitteecouldmeet onceortwiceayearorasnecessaryandprovideinputintoanypoliciesand plansunderconsideration. TheMinistryofEducationshouldestablishaninternalinterdepartmentalICTin Educationcommitteethatcomprisesofheads(ordeputyheadsbutpreferably theheadsthemselves)ofkeyinternaldepartmentssuchascurriculum development,planning,teachertraining,thetraditionalITdepartmentand financeandadministration. Implementationshouldbelefttotheprivatesectororsuitablyqualifiedpublic andNGOsectororganizations.Inthiscase,theICTinEducationunitsroleisto monitortheperformanceoftheseexternalorganizationstoensurethatthe implementationplans,technicalstandardsandpolicyrequirementsarebeing met.

ThestaffingoftheICTinEducationunitshouldbebiasedtowardseducational expertsincurriculum,pedagogyandteacherpreparation.However,these expertsmusthaveexperienceandagoodunderstandingofICTs.TheUnitshould alsohaveaninhouseeducationaltechnologyexpert.TheUnitcouldalsocall upontheMinistrystraditionalITunitforsupportinhighlytechnicalmatters.