HIGHLIGHTS & NEWS
			NEWS “Sharing With Other People Network (SWOPNet) at TGDLC ” Sharing With Other People Network (SWOPNet) organizes a series of ICT for Development monthly sessions in line with its strategic plan. A kick- off of this year's agenda started with a talk on ICT in Education, specifically on "Implementing ICT in Teachers' Colleges", presented by Mr. Geoff Calder, Technical Advisor, Ministry of Education and Vocational Training was held at the TDIC, a multi-partner Development Information Centre managed by the Tanzania Global Development Learning Centre. Implementing ICT in Teachers' Colleges is a project implemented by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, with financial and technical support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). The project succeeded in providing all 32 Government’s Teachers' Training Colleges with the most up to date ICT equipment and broadband Internet connection, supported by innovative sources of electric power including biofuel, solar and hydropower. Mr. Calder sighted a BBC article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2957488.stm quoting how a reveling “Thousands of refugees in Tanzania being given the chance to learn about computers and the internet ……. a project fuelled by a rather unusual power source”. The project also utilized standardized open source softwares and hardwares that created synergies to learning and sustaining the project. Preliminary reports indicated that this project had been very successful, and was more interesting for the stakeholders and participants to hear it from the horse's mouth. Mr. Calder discussed the results and experience gained through the implementation of this project, including constraints encountered and lessons learnt as well as recommendations and the long-term developmental impacts emanating from this intervention. More information about the project is available at www.teachers.or.tz. The SWOPnet meeting was attended by delegates from the Private Sector, Researchers, Academicians and the Government. Contacts The Director Tanzania Global Development Learning Centre IFM Building, 7th Floor Phone: 222123705, Fax: 2123702 Email: tanzania_dlc@gdlnmail.org Website: www.tgdlc.go.tz ; www.tdic.or.tz