GOVERNMENT TO HAVE ICT POLICY

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The government of Malawi has announced that it is in the advanced stages of developing the first ever national ICT policy. Presenting the final draft to principal secretaries for different ministries, Hawa Ndilowe Principal Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet responsible for E-govt said that once implemented the policy will set the direction on evaluation and utilization of data alluding to the fact that ICT plays a role in the socio-economic sectors. Being a developing country in the third world, Malawi seems to be embracing the I.T world and as such there is need to have a policy that will have to set the standards but also policies within the cyber world.
Speaking during the same event, James Kalirangwe Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Information commented on the need for having for I.T lessons from the primary levels all the way through the higher levels as this would prepare the students and give them a good base, he also said that talks are under way with the World Bank to distribute basic computers to 15 primary schools, “with this policy we think everyone will have access to the I.T services within range but also at a cheap cost”. He was quoted. The project is being facilitated by the Ministry of Information; this is the final phase of the policy presentation.