Ubuntu-based ICDL Resources in Zimbabwe

[Neil Coetzer]

The OpenICDL Project

Please note the "launch" of a new Ubuntu Zimbabwe project: OpenICDL for
Zimbabwe

This project involves the development of free course material, and free
training/testing software for ICDL, which will of course be based on
Ubuntu :)

Check out the project page https://wiki.ubuntu.com/OpenIcdl for further
details.

This project has been taken on by our newest LoCo Team Member, Richard
Simango. Thanks Richard!

Please spread the word and support this project as much as possible. Any
volunteers who would like to contribute would be very welcome - please
see the project page for more info and get in touch with Richard or
myself.


________________________________________________________________________

Additional Thoughts

In case you're wondering what the point of this project is, here are a
few thoughts to ponder:

One of the biggest areas where Ubuntu and open source software should be
promoted is within schools. I don't think most people realise just how
important this is. Obviously students and the younger generation on the
whole, are the future of every single country and therefore the entire
world. While it is important to promote the ideals of Ubuntu and open
source in all spheres of the community, I personally feel that schools
and the educational arena should be one of our main focal points. Aside
from the effect this will have on our future, let us also remember that
the vast majority of parents (particularly in countries like Zimbabwe)
learn more about IT and technology from their kids than they do from
anywhere else!

Now, from personal experience, I can tell you that many schools in
Zimbabwe would jump at the opportunity to run free (open source)
software - particularly the many financially disadvantaged schools in
the country - but on more than one occasion I have found the deciding
factor to be something like: "But our ICDL training is based on Windows
so we can't switch to Linux."

I truly believe that once we are in a position to offer completely free
ICDL course material (whether manual or automated) based on completely
free software (like Ubuntu), we will be that much closer to achieving
what could be a major breakthrough for education in Zimbabwe and other
third-world countries. And it would also go a long way to increasing
people's exposure to the many previously unheard of open source
alternatives.  

I would like to congratulate and thank Richard Simango for taking this
on, because it is no small task coordinating something like this. I
would also like to personally appeal to interested individuals to get
involved and contribute as much as possible, so that we can get this
project off the ground and take the first steps towards free computer
learning in Zimbabwe.


Regards,
Neil



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