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Foreign ministers from Asia and the Middle East have backed a proposal to create an "electronic university" by next year. Meanwhile, one of the poorest countries in Africa, Ethiopia, is spending a 10th of its gross domestic product each year on information technology, and Uganda has launched Africa's first "e-school" as part of a continent-wide initiative targeting hundreds of thousands of schools. Malaysia is providing $50-million to launch the e-university, set to open in 2007 with an initial intake of 4 100 students. It aims to have 28 450 students by 2011.

African SchoolNet Toolkit Education systems are under the spotlight worldwide today. Many countries are grappling with significant development challenges, such as meeting UNESCO’s “Education for All” goals, as well as other social objectives. The information age is creating economic pressure for countries to develop into knowledge societies in order to become or remain internationally competitive in a global economy. The Toolkit is designed to help education planners and practitioners integrate information and communication technologies (ICTs) into education systems. African_SchoolNet_Toolkit_-_I_01.pdf African_SchoolNet_Toolkit_-_II_01.pdf

UNESCO, through its agency for Science and Technology, The African Network for Scientific and Technological Institutions (ANSTI) is announcing the availability of a self-learning course on how to develop e-content. The course entitled “How to develop electronic Content” version 1.2.1 is a valuable resource for any individual, department or university (or organization) that wishes to develop e-content to complement existing instructional techniques such as face-to-face. The course is distributed on CD and it comprises three modules namely, Introduction to the process of e-content development, The tools for e-content development and an Introduction to E-learning platforms. The CD is interactive in design and presents content in text narrative, examples, graphics and images, audio and video modes. It has used the concept of Objectives to drive and derive the learning experiences. At the end of each unit, there is a self-evaluation quiz with instant feedback of outcome. The next version of this CD will be out shortly. A French version equivalent is also underway. For further information, please contact the ANSTI secretariat at info@ansti.org. ANSTI/UNESCO Secretariat, P. O. BOX 30592, Nairobi, KENYA Tel: - +254 2 622619/20, 622725, 622716 Fax: - +254 2 622538, 622750 Email: - info@ansti.org, joseph.massaquoi@unesco.unon.org, j.massaquoi@unesco.org, m.matemu@unesco.org, mary.matemu@ansti.org

Date: 09 Sep 2005 Title: Mini labs take science to rural schools --------------------------------------------------------------- By Kulani Mavunda Bethal - Rural high school pupils in Mpumalanga will now have access to well-equipped mini science laboratories. The mini laboratories are small, compact, durable boxes that weigh no more than 15kg and do not need electricity. They also come with printed and electronic manuals, as well as equipment and chemicals for the Grade 8 and 9 Natural Science curricula. "The mini labs are designed to bridge the gap between secondary and tertiary education by stimulating an interest in science," said provincial education spokesperson Thomas Msiza. He said the mini labs were donated by a marketing company called the Bright Idea Project. "The new laboratories will allow pupils to put theory into practical learning," he said. Mini-labs have already been donated to Lekete and KwaMhlanga high schools. Co-owner of the Bright Idea Project, Isaac Johnson, said the manuals would eventually be translated in all eleven languages and cater for grades four to nine. "Language will not be a barrier," he said. "We envisage the mini lab to be a standard item in all under-resourced schools, in both rural and metropole regions, within the next two years." On Friday, eight more mini labs, worth R48 000, will be handed over to Ikhethelo Secondary School in Mzinoni near Bethal. - BuaNews