PRESENTATION TO THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMITTEE ON DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL POLICY ON DEPLOYMENT OF E-LEARNING

June 2012

By

Abdullahi MaikanoSecretary, Universal Service Provision Fund

April 2012

ADVISORY

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Outline

Introduction

Structure of the USPF

Funding

Project Conception

Programmes and Projects

Challenges

Conclusion

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INTRODUCTION

The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) was created in 2007 to ensure even development of telecommunications services throughout the country so that all parts of the country will derived the benefits that ICT provides.

This is to fulfill the World Summit of Information Society (WSIS) declaration that – Everyone, everywhere should have the opportunity to participate and no one should be excluded from the benefits the Information Society offers which Nigeria is a signatory.

The Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 mandates the creation of the USPF and the Universal Service Provision Secretariat (USPS).

The USPF is composed of an 11-member Board that articulates policies to achieve the objectives above while the USPS is to implement these policies.

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STRUCTURE OF THE USPF

The Board has 11 memebers:

– Hon. Minister of Communications Technology – Chairman

– Chairman of the NCC Board - Vice-Chairman

– 2 Commissioners of NCC - Member

– 1 Representative of the Min. of Comms. Tech. - Member

– 1 Representative of the Minister of Finance - Member

– 1 Representative of the Chairman, National Planning Commission -Member

– 4 Private Sector Representatives - Members

The Secretariat is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the USP Fund and is headed by the Secretary.

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FUNDING

The USPF has two sources of Funding

Primary sources:

Appropriation by the National Assembly

Contributions from the NCC, based on a portion of the annual levies paid to the Commission by Licensees.

Secondary Sources:

Gifts, Aids, Donation

Loans, Grants

Incomes from its operations and investments

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PROJECT CONCEPTION

• USP projects are initiated using two methods

Top down Projects

Bottom-ups projects

• Top-down Projects: These are universal service and universal access projects that are conceived by the Secretariat to bridge the ICT gaps in unserved and underserved areas or communities.

• Bottom-ups projects: These are ICT self sustaining projects designed by Community-based organisations and local entrepreneurs with the aim of providing ICT services to organizations/communities. The projects that would be supported by the USPF will be socially desirable and economically viable.

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PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS

Over the past five years, the USPF implemented the following programmes and projects:

Universal Access & Universal service Programme will drive increasing access to community based voice and data services on shared basis. This is being implemented through the Accelerated Mobile Phone Expansion (AMPE) and Community Communications Centre (CCC) Projects

Universal Coverage Programme will facilitate the availability of transmission infrastructure and connection to the national transmission backbone in all LGA in Nigeria and therefore ensure access networks that provides both data and voice services in all parts of the country. This is being implemented through the Broadband Transmission Infrastructure (BTRAIN) and Rural Broadband Initiative (RuBI) Projects

Connectivity for Development Programmes will facilitate connectivity for key e-services to institutions such as schools, hospitals, centres for the challenged groups, etc and promote a digital life style. Some of the projects being executed include the Tertiary institutions Access Project (TiAP), School Access Project (SAP) and E-Library Project

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CONNECTIVITY FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

This is the programme under which the USPF promote e-learning in the country.

The initiatives implemented within the C4D programmes are:

The School Access Project (SAP)

The Tertiary Institutions Access Project (TIAP)

The E-Library Project

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SCHOOL ACCESS PROJECT (SAP) This project ensure the USPF promotes e-learning secondary schools by

facilitating technology-enabled learning. Students are able to collaborate with other students and the teachers would be able to give each student the required attention.

1153 schools have benefitted from the project in the

last 5 years

SAP OBJECTIVES Increased Productivity

Improved Learning Methods

Personalized/Self paced Learning

Access to global educational resources

Develop 21st Century Skills

IT awareness

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SCHOOL ACCESS PROGRAMME (SAP) COMPONENTS

School server

School server

Digital educational content

Digital educational content

Connectivity• Broadband internet access

(VSAT)• 1 year bandwidth subscription

of 512/128 kbps • School wireless network

Connectivity• Broadband internet access

(VSAT)• 1 year bandwidth subscription

of 512/128 kbps • School wireless network

Alternative power5KVA Generator or 3KVA solar power system and UPS

Alternative power5KVA Generator or 3KVA solar power system and UPS

Access devices• 100 personal

computers for students

• 2 laptop computers for teachers

Access devices• 100 personal

computers for students

• 2 laptop computers for teachers

Capacity building for teachers/IT administrators

Capacity building for teachers/IT administrators

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Valued Added Services• Specialized Curriculum based SWs for Education• Academic/Administrative Learning support tools• Student and Teacher electronic Evaluation Tools

Long Term Infrastructure Goals• Sustainable connectivity models• Technical training and support capacity for local schools• Community and lifelong learning supported by e-Learning

Evolving Better Value for Education Stakeholders

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SUPPORTING NATIONAL EDUCATION E-LEARNING MODDELS USING SAP SCHOOLS

Central Content

Mgt. System

National/Regional Edu Dbase

Tools

National Education Gateway

• SAP next phase in deployed schools intends to support national e-learning models that seek to enable :

• Academic and administrative process automation• Publish Electronic Results, • Academic Performance Appraisals,• Platform for Teacher Evaluation and Monitoring. • Promulgate educational e-learning sustainability

NATIONAL E-LEARNING SUPPORT FRAME WORK

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Education Web Portal/MIS

National Education Database

Internet

USPF SAP Model school

USPF SAP Model school

USPF SAP Model school

USPF SAP Model school

Students’ PCs

Students’ PCs

Students’ PCs

Teacher Laptop

Teacher Laptop

Education network via VPN

BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE CONNECTIVITY MODEL FOR SAP

Model Expectation• Share community access Models• Telco's as connectivity providers andeducation content host• Central records repository for MoE• Localised school servers and Wimax

clouds covering adjoining educational institutions

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TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS ACCESS PROJECT (TIAP)

A server A server

Connectivity• Broadband internet access

(VSAT)• 1 year bandwidth subscription

of 512/128 kbps

Connectivity• Broadband internet access

(VSAT)• 1 year bandwidth subscription

of 512/128 kbps

100 650v UPS

100 650v UPS

Resource Centre• 100 desktop

computers for students

• 100 computer tables and chairs

Resource Centre• 100 desktop

computers for students

• 100 computer tables and chairs Training of technology

champions in the institution

Training of technology champions in the

institution

This project ensure the USPF promotes e-learning tertiary institutions by facilitating technology-enabled research and learning. The provision of internet access would support

204 institutions have benefitted

2 printers

2 printers

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E-LIBRARY PROJECT

2 Server systems with back up UPS

2 Server systems with back up UPS

Connectivity• Broadband internet access

(VSAT)• 1 year bandwidth subscription

of 512/128 kbps

Connectivity• Broadband internet access

(VSAT)• 1 year bandwidth subscription

of 512/128 kbps

Alternative power• 60 KVA Generator

• 50 UPS

Alternative power• 60 KVA Generator

• 50 UPS

E-Library• 50 desktop

computers • Computer desks and

chairs• Library software• 3 Air conditioners

E-Library• 50 desktop

computers • Computer desks and

chairs• Library software• 3 Air conditioners

2 printers, copier and 2 scanners

2 printers, copier and 2 scanners

The E-library Project is to create a platform to connect the existing libraries in the country to enable the sharing of information and other resources as well as connect to other libraries outside the country

A total of seventy-four (74) libraries have been earmarked to benefit from the USPF e-library project nationwide.

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CHALLENGES

The key challenges of most development projects are:

Sustainability

Infrastructure backbone

Internet Access by satellite – most of the schools are not able to afford the cost and would therefore require continuous support of the USPF

Stakeholders active involvement in project.

The committee’ work could not have come at a better time than now.

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CONCLUSION

The USPF will continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure that Nigerians benefits from the immense opportunities that the ICT affords.

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THANK YOU

Q & A