An Information Technology academy to facilitate ongoing capacity building on a range of ICT tools is to be established here.
The IT Academy, proposed by the Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States (OAS), will complement an ongoing training for forty information technology secondary school teachers which is being funded by the OAS.
“In addition to the training and certification of the teacher trainers, an Information Technology Academy (IT Academy) will be established in Dominica to facilitate ongoing capacity building on a range of ICT tools,” Minster for science, Information, Telecommunication and Technology, Kelver Darroux said during the opening of the IT workshop on 23 November 2015.
“The IT academy will provide access to over 6,000 online programs for increasing human resource efficiencies and cost savings not only in education but across all government sectors. Public Sector employees will have the opportunity to train using the technological tools needed to more effectively perform in the workplace,” Minister Darroux indicated.
He said both the Ministries of Education and Technology welcome these OAS initiatives because “this adds significant value to the work that has already been done locally to advance growth in the ICT sector”.
Darroux added that government is currently reviewing an ICT policy which envisioned the use of broadband technology for the development of key sectors such as education tourism and health.
The policy, he noted, is also expected to guide use of technologies in classrooms.
Darroux noted that plans are afoot for improved broadband capacity to include full connectivity and networking of all Dominican schools to facility teaching and learning.
“We are working towards the necessary regulatory and policy reforms as well as pressuring private public sector partnership and making strategic investments,” Darroux said.
One such investment, Darroux said, is the Center of Excellence and Innovation at the Dominica State College.
