COMPUTERS IN EVERY CLASSROOM
Concept
The concept of a computer in every classroom isn’t new to the United States. In the early 1980s, the U.S. started equipping its secondary and primary schools with computers. During the 1980s and 1990s school administrators, local and state officials and NGOs called upon the public to help by donating their used computer equipment instead of throwing it away. The call was answered by the public and in just a few years almost every school system in the U.S. had computer equipment.
In Ethiopia there are few computers in primary or secondary schools. Ethiopia is such a poor country that it cannot meet this need. NGOs across the globe have mobilized and are requesting donations of used computer equipment to help equip the classrooms in Ethiopia and the rest of Africa. These NGOs know that computers are today considered an essential basic necessity for learning [9, 10, 11, 12].
With computers in every classroom, Ethiopian students will be exposed to new tools. They will have the opportunity to learn a wider variety of curriculum and in new ways. Educational CD’s can be used to help with lessons. If there is an Internet connection, remote e-learning is possible. Ethiopians will learn that the boundaries of learning in a classroom with computers are no longer the four walls of the room. An additional benefit is adult education. On evenings when the school is empty, Ethiopian farmers can be taught to use the computers to. They will be able to communicate with farmers from other countries, like Germany, who wish to help them succeed. In time, some farmers may be able to use the computers to track crop yields and droughts. They may ask their child to find out the best way to fix something broken using a search engine on the Internet. Maybe not the next generation of Ethiopian children, but the generation after could decide to be a computer programmer instead of a farmer. There is a lot to be optimistic when you think of all the potential good that can come out of having a computer in every classroom in Ethiopia.
Acquisition
To help NGOs succeed in their efforts, I would propose that the U.S. government get involved. The U.S. government, as part of its Millennium Development Goals contributions, could start an advertising campaign soliciting equipment not only from its own agencies as they modernize, but also from the general population. The U.S. government would already have established a “public/private” partnership agreement with one or more NGOs who would receive and vet all contributions. I believe the amount of computers donated to this cause would be enough to equip all of the schools in sub-Saharan Africa within a year or two.
Import/Export – Clearing Customs
One of the big hurdles to overcome is import restrictions and customs regulations within Ethiopia [13]. Without a bilateral or multilateral agreement in place, the importation of refurbished computer equipment can be painstakingly slow.
Repair
With many NGOs already acquiring used PCs and repairing them there is a plethora of information on the web on how best to accomplish this task [14]. My idea is a little different. As old computer equipment comes into the NGO collection stations, volunteer staffs that have some background in computer equipment can run basic diagnostic tests to determine the health of the equipment. Sorting of equipment by similar makes and models can happen during this process. Equipment that doesn’t readily operate can be quickly scrapped as I would assume there would be more equipment coming in then the staffs can easily handle. Only equipment that was operational and met the minimum standards for hardware compatibility would be shipped overseas.
Distribution
Lower shipping rates for those donating equipment and for vetted equipment being shipped to Africa can be obtained. Shipping companies that signed on would have marketing/advertising campaigns developed as well as being provided tax incentives for their charitable work. To ensure there is no discrimination in the distribution of equipment, an NGO should oversee the process.
