CIO East Africa - Business Technology Leadership

Microsoft’s eLearning Programme pays dividends

Friday, 03 September 2010 12:11

Microsoft’s Innovative Education Forum (IEF) has so far achieved the inclusion of learners with disabilities and younger kids in the project. This is according to Ntutule Tshenye, Microsoft's Academic and Citizenship manager for Africa and Indian Ocean islands. Ntutule spoke to CIO East Africa on the sidelines of the recently concluded Microsoft Pan African Innovative Education forum held in Mombasa, Kenya from 24th to 26th of August.

Ntutule explained that the Pan-African Innovative Education Forum (IEF) was a multi-day event which brought together teachers from across Africa to compare notes on innovative teaching and learning strategies with education experts from the worlds of business and science. IEF so far had brought together 54 teachers from 16 countries in the Africa region.

ICT Board announces winners of local software grants

Friday, 03 September 2010 09:40

Kenya's local software development scene got a rocket-boost as the Kenya ICT Board announced some of the winners of the first round of the Tandaa Digital Content and Local Software grants. With a US $ 4 million backing from the World Bank,said to be the largest in Africa, the grants are meant to aid local developers in the generation of software solutions targeting local situations in Kenya. Kaburo Kobia, Project Manager for Local Digital Content at the Kenya ICT Board says most local developers find it a challenge to get funding from financial institutions or individuals. The fund aims to help developers access funds while at the same time showcases to the community and local financial institutions the viability of software projects.

Awards were given to the top 7 out of 166 entries in the government information portal, firms category. The category together with the individuals category make part of the Government Information portal section whose aim is to develop solutions and products that exploit mobile and web technology in the delivery of government information or services. Other categories are the Individual and Firm categories of the Private sector content and applications section which aims at developing innovative solutions and products that exploit mobile and web technology in the delivery of information , entertainment or services. The competition was open to all content creators including software developers, films, animation, advertising , publishing , games and educational professionals.