Amhara region information and communication technology development agency

6Current Status of the WoredaNet Project

Total WoredaNet installed in the Region are 118. For 24 new woredas installation is being conducted and for 23(95.83%) Woredas installation is completed. These centers are used and services are delivered repeatedly especially in tribunal cases. Five camera installation is completed for Kalu, Bati, Jiletimuga, Angolelana Tera, Yilmanana Densa and Dejen woredas that faced problems.

A. Expected Services from this Facility/Project

Videoconference, E-Mail, Internet and Telephone

B. Services Currently Available

Decentralized Videoconference, E-Mail, Internet and Telephone

C. Services not Available and Reasons/Problems

As usual, Internet service in some Woredas does not work. MCIT tried to solve the problem. But internet access is a problem in some Woredas yet.

D. Current Detail Status of Equipments (Working/Not Working)

Major equipments are available.

1. 
   Usage of the Facility (Full Usage/Partial)
   

Hall, Electricity, Telephone

2. 
   Man Power Status (Number Required, Available, Vacant, Turnover, etc)
   

Manpower is not as required, due to shortage of budget

3. 
   Availability of Infrastructure (Videoconferencing Hall, Electricity, Telephone, Road, etc)
   

No problem in infrastructure.

4. 
   Other Additional Information and Suggestions/Comments With regards to Woreda net payment,
   

Most of the problems that were raised during six month meeting were solved. Sometimes, there was a case of paying foe WoredaNet, which belong to Benishangul or oromiya Regions.

5. 
   Problems Encountered and Solutions
   

When Service is cancelled without consultation and not to pay unnecessarily, the Agency discusses the issue and solves immediately.

6. 
   Interventions Required from Higher Bodies(Please indicate exactly whose intervention is needed and how: MCIT, Ethio-Telecom, etc.)
   

Completion of Installation of 14 VISAT sites to landline needs also the support of MCIT and Ethio telecom.

7Current Status of the School Net Project

It was planned conducting maintenance in 249 schools by Bureau of Education and in 199(79.92%) full maintenance is completed. Data was collected and reported to MCIT from 281 schools for internet service availability. Payment is completed for 106 schools by MoE and is expected internet access. Currently internet availability is only in 19 schools.

1. 
   Expected Services from this Facility/Project
   

Satellite Education, Internet service and directory service /educational resource sharing/

2. 
   Services Currently Available
   

TV (Satellite education)

3. 
   Services not Available and Reasons/Problems
   

Internet service

4. 
   Current Detail Status of Equipments (Working/Not Working)
   

All works except some plasma need maintenance

5. 
   Usage of the Facility (Full Usage/Partial)
   

Satellite education

6. 
   Man Power Status (Number Required, Available, Vacant, Turnover, etc)
   

ICT technicians were assigned in some of the schools. However, experts resign due to different reasons. Currently, bureau of education is trying to restructure ICT at different levels and teachers were given training on it to minimize the problem.

7. 
   Availability of Infrastructure (Class Rooms, Electricity, Telephone, Road, etc)
   

Good in most of the schools.

8. 
   Other Additional Information and Suggestions/Comments
   

When the facility fails to function, training for technicians has been conducted by Ethio-telecom, Ministry of education and AICTDA.

9. 
   Problems Encountered and Solutions
   

Lack of trained and skilled manpower.

10. 
    Interventions Required from Higher Bodies
    

(Please indicate exactly whose intervention is needed and how: MCIT Ethio-Telecom, Ministry of Education, etc.)

Like Woreda net migration project, changing VSAT to landline so as to solve the problem of internet, hire and train IT technicians.

8Detail Report on Other ICT Initiatives

A. Planned Sub-Components/Activities

1. 
   Establishing backup data center
   
2. 
   Reorganizing ICT Steering Committee
   
3. 
   Manual Development
   
4. 
   Expansion of Best Experiences
   
5. 
   Data Collection
   
   1. 
      Training Needs assessment
      
   2. 
      Customer satisfaction
      
   3. 
      ICT Literacy
      
   4. 
      Training Centers
      
6. 
   Professional Competency License
   

2. 
   Accomplishments
   

1. 
   Establishing back up data center
   

The project to establish back up data center by MCIT was started some years ago. However, it becomes late due to a number of reasons. This budget year, problems related with site and others were solved and the back up data center is now completed except cabling and configuration works.

2. 
   Reorganizing ICT Steering Committee
   

Regional ICT Steering Committee has been established since 1999 E.C. members from different sectors at Regional, Zonal and Woreda level. This Committee played its vital role in leading, organizing and making decisions on different issues and challenges encountered during implementation. Now a day the importance, the work volume and magnitude of ICT relevance become complex and needs special attention of Regional Government commitment. Currently the Regional Committee is reorganized including members of

1. 
   Deputy President of The Regional Government Chairman
   
2. 
   Ethio-telecom North Eastern &Western Regions , Heads Member
   
3. 
   Ethiopia Electric Power North Eastern &Western Regions, Heads »
   
4. 
   TVET Bureau »
   
5. 
   Education Bureau »
   
6. 
   Health Bureau »
   
7. 
   Agriculture Bureau »
   
8. 
   Bahir Dar University »
   
9. 
   Workers and Social Affair Bureau »
   
10. 
    One ICT Private Sector »
    
11. 
    ICT Development Agency » and Secretary
    

The Zone and Woreda level ICT Steering Committee is reorganized following the same pattern, where Chairman and secretary are Zone Administrator/City Mayor and Head of Office of the Administration/Mayor offices respectively.

The Regional ICT steering Committee conduct two meetings discussed and made resolutions on different issues. Implementation of Satellite Education, maintenance of equipments, lack of trained IT technicians as a whole were hot issues and solved on time as soon as decision is over.

3. 
   Manual Development
   

Some manuals are revised and new different manuals are developed for successful ICT implementation based on the National ICT Policy and the Agency establishment of Regulation No. 72/2002. Manual for Regional ICT Steering Committee is revised. Basic Computer training allocation of time Manual and Establishment of Community Multipurpose Information Center in 2005, Network Installation Standard, Webpage Development Design Standard are completed. Data, Computers and Related Materials Handling and Usage(comments are collected from stakeholders from a half day workshop for finalization), Regional Portal Administration Usages guidelines are being completed. The Agency establishment regulation amendment No. 100/2012 was also formulated.

4. 
   Expansion of Best Experiences
   

In 2003 E.C. best experiences across the Region have been collected and formulated. The document is enriched every year. A half day orientation for all Woreda officials and ICT experts has been conducted in 2005. It is seen from the report and field visits in most places these formulated experiences are practically implemented though it needs further investigation or survey. To mention some, training, VC, maintenance, Website development, sharing experiences etc are conducted in most of Zones and woredas

5. 
   Data Collection
   

5.1. Training Needs Assessment

Advanced Computer and related courses training need assessment is conducted yearly by MCIT. In order to organize training for the year 2006 E.C. data collecting format has been developed and sent to the Region by MCIT. The questionnaire is dispatched to Regional Bureaus, ICT Development Agency and Zone experts for identifying their needs and sent back to MCIT on time. When we look respondents diversity; 49.62% are from Regional Bureaus, 30.53% are from ICT development Agency and 19.85% are Zones. Similarly considering of individuals need on each training areas rated and arranging according their magnitude are as follows:

• 
  Software development, System Analysis and Design 21.37%
  
• 
  Maintenance 18.32%
  
• 
  Network 16.79%
  
• 
  Database 16.79%
  
• 
  Others(Mentoring, Coaching, Advocacy, AutoCAD etc 13.74%
  
• 
  Server 12.98%
  

2. 
   Customer satisfaction
   

As to balanced scored plan, customer satisfaction has to be measured at least once in a year. According to services delivered on training, cooperative training, consultancy services on selection of employees, manuals and guidelines preparations, etc customers satisfaction 75% was our benchmark. It was planned to ensure customer satisfactions of 78% for the year. Currently collected and analyzed data shows that 88.71% of customers are satisfied by all serviced delivered to them. Similarly on software development customers’ satisfaction is 78.7%.

2. 
   ICT Literacy
   

It is known that most of civil servants are computer illiterate for proper, efficient and effective service delivery using the technology. Data on computer literacy/illiteracy of Civil Servants was collected and analyzed in the past 4 years. ICT literacy rate were 14.71%, 16.14%, 22.89% and 24.64% in 2001, 2002 E.C., 2003 E.C. and 2004 respectively. Proceeding the same assessment for the year 2005, data has been collected and analyzed. This shows that 37.74% of the total Civil Servants in the Region are computer literate. Revising the literacy rate based on the 2005 half year performance this number grew to 45.80%. In other words it is known that 54.20% of Civil Servants are still computer illiterate. A lot has to be done for this high number of work force to perform using ICT as a tool through intensive computer training. ICT literate performance is much better compared to the last years; this is due to the fact that most of training centers (Region, Zone, Woreda and Kebele) are equipped and furnished, intensive training is conducted at all levels, data collection and analysis is organized as a system etc.

2. 
   Training Centers
   

Data on training center and number computers is collected in order to know the accessibility and magnitude of the Agency’s services delivered with regard to fulfilling the training needs of the society. The data show that totally 178 centers having 1196 computers are organized so far, one at Region by 49 computers, 12 at 12 Zones and 2 City Administrations (except Bahir Dar City) by 96 computers, out of 167 Woredas in 131(78.44%) by 644 computers and in 34 community Multipurpose Information Centers by 407 computers. Training, internet and other services are delivered here. It is clear that these centers are not organized at training center standard level. Some are somewhat good, most of them use meeting halls and offices when training is being carried out. 2-50 computers are used. In general these centers benefited the community in technology skill development and access to information where they live around. Nowadays, civil servants tried to deliver services effectively and efficiently using computers on time.

5. 
   Professional Competency License
   

The Region is delegated by MCIT for professional license requests. It was planned to give confirmation letters for 6 customers for the last six months. Currently professional ICT confirmation letter is given to 7 applicants. This covers 116.66% of the plan.

7. 
   Reasons for Deviations (If plans and Accomplishments are Different)
   

No deviation under this topic.