Tuvalu
The Tuvalu National ICT policy, “Information and Communication Technologies for every Tuvaluan Citizen” is currently in draft form. Negotiations with stakeholders are still underway and implementation is expected by 2004. The Tuvalu Policy Vision is follows the guiding principles outlined in the Pacific Islands Information and Communication Technologies Policy and Strategic Plan – a regional ICT strategy agreed and signed by the Communication Ministers of each respective Forum country member. For Tuvalu, these principles are:
- ICT will be used to inform and connect Tuvalu citizens and ensure that they benefit from flexible and appropriate education and training.
- Appropriate ICT infrastructure will support development for Tuvalu Islands.
- Easy access to information through ICT will strengthen co-operation between stakeholders to ensure good governance, to develop the private sector and to improve service delivery.
- ICT policies and regulations will be appropriate to the people and culture of Tuvalu.
Strategies to implement the aspects of the ICT policy which are relevant to education include
- promoting greater awareness of ICT,
- developing and retaining a knowledgeable workforce in ICT,
- developing and maintaining training policies and programmes to ensure ICT resources are properly managed,
- providing equal access to ICT,
- developing ICT infrastructure to promote universal access,
- addressing affordability of ICT technology and
- continually evaluating ICT plans and its impacts.
Other planned strategies include consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, developing exchange and vocational programmes by the education sector, incorporating gender issues and developing community awareness programmes
to maximise benefits and minimise adverse social impacts. There are also plans to review communication tariff regulations to maximise benefits to communities.
(Information here taken from the Meta-Survey paper ICT in Education: Tuvalu)