Public Access to Information and Communication Venues

An Overview of Public ICT Access Points in Namibia

Tina James (icteum consulting, South Africa) Milton Louw (ICT Alliance Namibia)

Contact information Tina James icteum consulting P O Box 72267 Lynnwood Ridge 0040 South Africa tjames@intekom.co.za)

August 2008

University of Washington. All rights reserved. Prepared by Tina James, icteum consulting, South Africa with the support of the University of Washington, Center for Information & Society, for Public Access to Information and Communication Venues.

Public Access to Information and Communication Venues

Abstract This chapter focuses on the public access to information and communication landscape in Namibia, with specific focus on four types of public access points public libraries, Schoolnets, educational institutions and commercial internet cafes. SchoolNet Namibia is the only significant provider of public ICT access points in the country, although there is a new initiative to create Community Information Resource Centers (CIRCs) through libraries, schools and multipurpose community centers. The study includes desktop research and a fieldwork component which assesses user perspectives on information needs, access to information and perceived barriers to gaining access to information and communication. The lack of information about existing ICT access points, the lack of ICT infrastructure (telecommunications networks, computers and Internet access), low levels of ICT skills and access to ICT training, and the need for considerably more ICT access points emerge as key factors. The study makes recommendations on aspects such as the undertaking of a situational analysis, the need for more public ICT access points, ICT literacy training and the provision of relevant egovernment services. Keywords: Namibia; ICT; information and communication; telecenters; public libraries; SchoolNets.

Public Access to Information and Communication Venues

Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ 3 Executive Summary .................................................................................................................... 4 1. Country Overview................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 6 1.2 Geography ........................................................................................................................ 6 1.3 Political/geographic divisions .......................................................................................... 6 2. Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 8 2.1 Team qualifications .......................................................................................................... 8 2.2 Literature review .............................................................................................................. 8 2.3 Venue selection ................................................................................................................ 8 2.4 Inequity variables ............................................................................................................. 8 2.5 Data collection.................................................................................................................. 9 3. Overall Country Assessment................................................................................................. 10 3.1 Public Access to Information ......................................................................................... 10 3.2 Access, Capacity, Environment, Inequity environment in the country.......................... 11 3.3 Information needs of the underserved communities ...................................................... 11 3.4 Economic, policy and regulatory environment .............................................................. 12 3.5 Collaboration practices already existing across venues, and future opportunities ......... 13 3.6 Buzz factor: perception of what is cool, what has momentum ...................................... 13 3.7 Legitimate use: who decides what legitimate use of information/resources is .............. 13 3.8 Shifting media landscape ............................................................................................... 13 4. Venue Assessment ................................................................................................................ 14 4.1 Overall venue landscape assessment .............................................................................. 14 4.2 Public Libraries .............................................................................................................. 14 4.3 SchoolNets ..................................................................................................................... 15 4.4 Internet Cafes ................................................................................................................ 16 4.5 Educational institutions .................................................................................................. 17 5. Success Factors and Recommendations................................................................................ 17 5.1 Summary of Lessons in Country .................................................................................... 17 5.2 Success factors and recommendations for promoting public access to ICTs ................ 17 5.2.1 Success Factors ....................................................................................................... 17 5.2.2 Recommendations ................................................................................................... 17 6. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 18

Public Access to Information and Communication Venues

Executive Summary Introduction Thisresearchstudyexaminesthepublicaccesstoinformationandcommunication landscapesinNamibia,withspecificfocusonpubliclibrariesandschools,tounderstand theinformationneedsofunderservedcommunities,publicaccesstoinformationand communicationvenues,andtheroleofICT.Namibia,classifiedasalowermiddleincome countrywithaGDPof4.1%, 1 isasparselypopulatedcountrywithapopulationof2.1 millionandapopulationdensityofabout2.5/km.OverallICTaccessisverylimited throughoutthecountry,withSchoolNetNamibiaprovidingmostoftheavailableICTs throughschools. Methodology This research study was initiated in early 2008 and consists of two phases Phase I combined desktop research, telephonic and face-to-face interviews with about 30 key decisionmakers and experts, three group discussions, and selected site visits to readily accessible venues in Windhoek and Gobabis. Phase II included a field survey which was undertaken during June and July 2008. Four types of venues were researched public libraries (2), schools (3), educational institutions (2) and commercial internet cafs (5). . Venues were chosen based on accessibility to the community, the availability of ICTs at the locations, and the presumption that there would be more than 20 users per day. The limited availability of public ICT access points (outside of SchoolNets) resulted in a very limited sample for this study. Findings ThereispentupdemandfortheuseofICTs,giventhehugedistancesandgeographic isolationoflargepartsofthepopulation.Theprovisionofelectricityisaparticular challengeandalternativeenergysourcesareinuseand/orbeinginvestigatede.g.solar powerandwindenergybyMTC(mobileoperator)andSchoolNetNamibia.Thereisalarge digitaldividebetweenthoselivinginurbanversusnonurbanenvironments. Thereisadistinctdifferencebetweentheusagepatternsofthoseoverandunder25years ofage.Mostusersabove25usetheInternetforworkandkeepingintouchwiththeir businesscolleagues.TheInternetisseenasaninformationsourceandverylittletimeis spentonusingitasanentertainmentmedium.Manyoftheyoungerusers(below25)have accesstoICTsforwhichtheydonothavetopay.Theyusemobileservicestokeepintouch withtheirsocialnetwork(chat)andtomakeappointmentswithoneanother(SMS).Their usageoftheInternetisforemails,butmostprefersocialnetworksiteswheremessagesare sentacrossthenetworkratherthantoanindividualfriend.Iftheydownloadfromthe Internet,theyaccessmusicandfilms,mostlythroughpiratedmeans.Thereareveryfew genderdifferencesintermsofusage.

Source: National Planning Commission (2006 figures). http://www.npc.gov.na/publications/National_Accounts_1996_to_2006.pdf

Public Access to Information and Communication Venues

Success Factors and Recommendations There is a need for better coordination between the government departments regarding ICT rollout to ensure the optimal utilization of limited resources. The Government has designated that all constituency offices (13 regions with 107 constituency offices) should be equipped with ICTs. The proposed Community Information Resource Centers will require shared use of the fiberoptic backbone already rolled out to these constituency offices, as well as alternative power sources for those venues not on the electricity grid. Recommendation 1: Introducing ICTs into libraries represents a significant opportunity since there are only two libraries in the country that are connected to the Internet. Recommendation 2: An extensive ICT literacy campaign is required in government as well the broader population. ICT training should be included more prominently in the training of teachers and librarians, as well as civil servants. Recommendation 3: A situational analysis is needed to identify all the existing community access points (clinics, libraries, schools, recreational centers, craft centers, etc.) and identify best practice. Recommendation 4: eGovernment services need to be identified and implemented. Government websites must become more functional. Recommendation 5: More research is needed to assess the availability of content in local languages, the extent to which this is required, the likely levels of demand and the type of content that could be developed for future use in libraries, schools and youth development centers.

Public Access to Information and Communication Venues

1.

Country Overview

1.1 Introduction Namibia, classified as a lower-middle income country with a GDP of 4.1%, 2 is a sparselypopulated country with a population of 2.1 million and a population density of about 2.5/km. Due to the largely arid and semi-arid nature of the country, and the large distances between towns, most of the population lives in the larger towns of Windhoek, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, and more than 65% in the smaller towns of northern Namibia. 1.2 Geography Namibia liesontheAtlanticcoastinsouthernAfricaandisborderedbyAngola,Zambia, BotswanaandSouthAfrica.covers an area of 825,418 km2 and is the worlds least populated country after Mongolia. It have five different but overlapping geographic areas which range from desert, dunes and gravel plains, to the central escarpment which has the only arable land in the country (less than 1%). 3 1.3 Political/geographic divisions Namibia is a democratic multiparty republic with an independent judiciary. The country is divided into thirteen regions and 107 constituencies, with the regions being managed through 13 regional councils. Namibia only gained its independence from South Africa in 1990 (and the town of Walvis Bay in 1994). This has meant that the legacy of apartheid, as in South Africa, has left huge discrepancies along racial lines in the country. The Black population (which included the black and mixed-race communities) were denied access to good education, lived in areas where infrastructure was minimal (water and electricity), roads were generally in poor condition and this part of the population had to travel long distances to employment in the cities and towns. Presently the situation has improved but there are still wide discrepancies in income, access to education, living standards and career advancement opportunities often due to lack of education and sufficient role models. Namibia lies among the countries with a very high GINI Coefficient (74.3%) and in 126th place in the world. 4 1.4 Demography Blacks Africans are in the majority, making up 87.5% of the total population and comprising of a number of ethnic groups Oshiwambo, Nama/Damara, Herero, Lozi, Kwangali and Tswana. The white population is estimated at 6%, and those of mixed origin 6.5%. English has become the language of choice for the younger generation, although Afrikaans is spoken widely.
2

Source:NationalPlanningCommission(2006figures). http://www.npc.gov.na/publications/National_Accounts_1996_to_2006.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namibia#geographyAccessed21August2008 http://www.swivel.com/data_columns/spreadsheet/1748283?page=2.Accessed9April2008

Public Access to Information and Communication Venues

1.5 Conclusion The small population size and vast distances throughout the country present huge challenges for the rollout of ICT infrastructure.

Map showing the location of Namibia in relation to countries in Southern Africa 5

1. Caprivi 2. Erongo 3. Hardap

4. Karas 5. Okavango 6. Khomas

7. Kunene 8. Ohangwena 9. Omaheke

10. Omusati 11. Oshana 12. Oshikoto

13. Otjozondjupa

Map of Namibia, Showing the Thirteen Provinces 6

5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namibia#GeographyAccessed21August2008

Regions of Namibia, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_Namibia. Accessed 21 August 2008 7

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2.

Methodology

2.1 Team qualifications The Namibian research team consisted of two researchers with a wide range of ICT experience, and supported by a small team of field researchers who assisted in the survey work for Phase II. Tina James has more than 25 years experience in ICTs in Africa and has worked across a range projects in ICT policy and strategy development, technology management, foresighting and roadmapping, as well as on ICD projects dealing with telecenters, school networking and support systems for SMMEs. Milton Louw has been involved with the Internet and ICT activities since 1992 when he was responsible for Information and Communication at the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He is presently the Secretary for the ICT Alliance and on the Secretariat of the Cabinet taskforce on ICT. 2.2 Literature review There is very limited research material on ICTs in Namibia - about 15 20 research documents were reviewed by the research team, in addition to background information obtained from online searching. 2.3 Venue selection There are very few public ICT access points outside of those offered at schools. SchoolNet provides access to rural and remote schools, but most of these schools do not provide ICT access to the community. The provision of ICT services by SchoolNet falls into two categories - in schools and as community centers in partnership with other stakeholders. For this reason, schools were included in the Namibian survey. Only two libraries in the country have ICT access the national library in Windhoek and the community library at Katatura, an outlying area on the outskirts of Windhoek. Both were included in the survey. Four types of venues were therefore selected: 1) Public libraries as well as libraries operated by international agencies such as the UNDP and the US Information Services (USIS); 2) Schools and educational institutions; 3) Community centers (CIRCs) and 4) Internet cafs (commercial and the post office). The following towns were chosen for the study so as to provide a better representation of venues throughout the country: 1) Windhoek, the capital city; 2) Gobabis and Okahandja, small towns within a 200km radius of Windhoek; 3) Ondangwa in the north of Namibia and 4) Rehoboth, about 90km south of Windhoek. . 2.4 Inequity variables Seven inequity variables are of relevance in assessing public ICT access points in South Africa: Socio-economic status. Apartheid has left huge discrepancies along racial lines in the country which still persist.

Public Access to Information and Communication Venues

Educational level. Primaryschoolenrolmentratesareestimatedat99.3%witha76% completionrateformenand85%forwomen.Girlsoutnumberboysinbothprimaryand secondaryeducation.Thesecondaryschoolenrolmentrateisestimatedat56.3%. Adult literacy has increased rapidly in recent years, with 83.5% of women over the age of 15 regarded as literate as compared to men at 86.8%. 7 This compares well with the 1990 statistics at 74.9%. 8 ICT literacy is very low in the country, which is in turn hampered by the lack of vocabulary for ICTs in Afrikaans, the language of choice for over 70% of the population Age. The 2001 Population Census shows that the country has a relatively youthful population with 39% of the population under 15 years of age and only 7% over 60. 9 93% of those surveyed in the Phase II research were under the age of 35. Gender. Women make up 50.4% of the population (2004) and 44% of the total labor force which is estimated at 1million. 47% of the users of the venues were female. Location. The location of service delivery facilities was previously closely connected to the racial groups as defined above. There are distinct differences between urban and non-urban environments in terms of access to infrastructure such as water and electricity and service points such as clinics. Access to reliable infrastructure and facilities. During apartheid, large numbers of the black population were forced to live far from urban areas but close enough to provide labor for the cities. Others were forced into rural areas. In this study, the emphasis was on underserved areas. Local languages. Namibia has 21 distinct languages, although English is the main language used in schools and in the business community. Most citizens are conversant in Afrikaans. 2.5 Data collection During Phase I more than 30 individuals were interviewed, either face-to-face or through telephonic discussions. 19 site visits were carried out during Phase I. The Phase II user survey took place over a two-week period in June and July 2008. Two questionnaires, one for users and one for operators, were used. The questionnaires were customized for local conditions. Due to the size of the country, a team of locally-based fieldworkers was deployed. The venues were all notified in advance. The UN libraries and Internet Cafs were visited several times, both morning and afternoons, to assess if there were any users. Several problems were encountered during the course of the survey, the major one being that respondents did not have time to assist. The survey approach is also relatively
7

WorldBankGroup.GenderStats. http://devdata.worldbank.org/genderstats/genderRpt.asp?rpt=profile&cty=NAM,Namibia&hm=homeAccessed8 April2008 8 Millennium Development Goals for Namibia, World Bank, http://ddpext.worldbank.org/ext/ddpreports/ViewSharedReport?&CF=&REPORT_ID=1305&REQUEST_TYPE=VIEWADV ANCED&DIMENSIONS=107 9 Government of Namibia website,

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unknown to most people in Namibia,. Some respondents were also concerned that their ICT usage might be limited if they assisted in the survey. Data capturing and analysis was done centrally. In total 165 users were surveyed, in addition to operators at each of the venues. Table 1. Overview of Phase II Survey Responses from Users
Public Libraries SchoolNets Internet Cafs Educational Institutes

# of urban venues surveyed # of semi-urban venues surveyed # of respondents in urban venues # of respondents in semi-urban venues

2 50 -

1 2 37 25

1 4 5 17

2 31

3.

Overall Country Assessment

Overall, ICT access is very limited throughout the country. There is limited activity in the provision of information services and there is little evidence of active e-government implementation, despite this being a component of the governments service to the citizen. This may be partially attributable to the low levels of ICT skills and capacity within the government itself. There is limited material available in local languages, and most is produced in English. 3.1 Public Access to Information A recent household survey indicates that the Internet is mainly accessed at the workplace or through schools. 10 Out of a total of 854 households surveyed in urban and rural areas, only 51 had household members that had used the Internet and of these members only 3.9% had an email address. A recent government study 11 found that more than 94% of people had access to radio, 70% had access to mobile phones, 13.4% to computers and only 8.8% access to Internet. Internet access is unreachable for many due to the limited number of fixed lines, the high costs of Internet access (despite slowly decreasing prices), the lack of electricity and the lack of bandwidth availability. The Namibian population is however characterized by high mobile phone usage, due to extensive geographic coverage (>65%) and 100% coverage along all the arterial roads. Mobile telecommunication is likely to be the area where the most significant advances in ICT access can be made in Namibia. A significant means of communication can be found through the publication of SMS messages in local newspapers. This is offered free of charge to readers. There is no significant local content, government websites do not always work, and the information required is often not available.

11

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (2007). Service Delivery Assessment Report. Full reference?

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3.2 Access, Capacity, Environment, Inequity environment in the country Due to Namibia being a part of South Africa until 1990, it fell under the apartheid laws enforced at that time. The Black population (which included the black and mixed-race communities) were denied access to good education, lived in areas where infrastructure was minimal (water and electricity), roads were generally in poor condition and this part of the population had to travel long distances to employment in the cities and towns. Presently the situation has improved but there are still wide discrepancies in income, access to education, living standards and career advancement opportunities often due to lack of education and sufficient role models. The distribution of income in the country is generally recognized as among the most unequal in the world. 12 . There is pent-up demand for the use of ICTs, given the huge distances and geographic isolation of large parts of the population. Namibians over the age of 25 will use ICT and more specifically Internet applications primarily for work purposes. Most people under the age of 25 are using ICTs for personal and social interaction with their peers, as well as for personal entertainment (movies, music, and games). The high level of literacy and formal education means that most Namibians, once given access, would be able to make use of information sources with very little assistance. The level of technological skills, from PC engineers to graduate degrees, is quite high. This has been primarily due to the investment in human capital by the mining and financial services sectors. The provision of electricity is a particular challenge and alternative energy sources are in use and/or being investigated e.g. solar power and wind energy. The extent of the problem is illustrated by the fact that only 6.1% of rural households have access to electricity. In urban areas, access to fixed line telephony is the major limiting factor. The large proportion of young people in the country (almost 40% under the age of 15) points to the need to focus on this target group, and particularly on the use of ICTs in improving the quality of education. The governments intention is to introduce ICTs into schools and has allocated budget for this purpose. This does point to a possible future need for expanding the establishment of multipurpose community centers, or providing existing facilities with ICT access. This has been recognized by the Cabinet and a directive has been given to a newlyformed ICT Taskforce to audit what programs are in place and find a way of improving collaboration across various government efforts. 3.3 Information needs of the underserved communities The general public, according to a government study undertaken in 2007, 13 has information needs that cover the following areas: crime; health matters; corruption; HIV/AIDS; employment creation; violence against women and children; poverty reduction and agriculture. The present research study found that more than 50% of respondents were looking for educationrelated material and finding work-related information, for example job opportunities and interview techniques. However, very little of this type of information is available. The need for
12 13

http://www.usaid.gov/na/overview2.htm Ibid.

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Public Access to Information and Communication Venues

this information is directly related to the younger user base at these facilities. There have been various programs to provide employment search functionality from different Ministries, most notably the Ministry of Labor, but none have thus far been able to keep their online information up-to-date. 3.4 Economic, policy and regulatory environment A new Ministry of ICT has recently been created, which is expected to oversee the creation of an implementation body (commissions) that would allow Namibia to harness the power of ICTs as tools to accelerate socio-economic development. The Ministry will be responsible for developing policy and regulating the business being done in ICT and related sectors; ensure access to all its citizens; and protect civil liberties. The Ministry will focus on three areas (possibly through the creation of agencies): 1) Namibian Communications Commission, which will deal with all regulatory aspects of communication; 2) Namibian Computer Agency, which will promote the accelerated diffusion of IT in every socio-economic sphere; and 3) Central Informatics Body to oversee the implementation of IT in government and ensure that civil servants are literate The telecommunications and regulatory environment is challenging, with a monopoly in fixed line telephony, two mobile operators, and no provision for the use of VOIP by the public (VOIP is not illegal, only the reselling of such a service on a commercial basis). The lack of certainty in the regulatory environment has been a limiting factor and there is a need for service- and technology-neutral licenses. The policy environment is in flux as the existing ICT policy is in the process of being updated during 2008. Several working groups were established to draw up recommendations for the development of an ICT strategy. A taskforce was appointed and this has recently identified two activities which are most critical in the short-term: 1) public access to information and 2) the improved administration of the .na domain. There is also an increased emphasis on ICT skills development. The creation of a Ministry of ICT and the delegation of ICT services to the public is a step in the right direction. The Ministry is presently preparing a strategic plan and is expected unveil its plan of action before September 2008. Mixed signals have however been noted in the budget of the Minister of Finance in 2008. Close to US$ 131 000 was allocated for the creation of an ICT Policy in 2007. However, less than (US$ 26 300) was allocated for its implementation in 2008. The Government of Namibia is spending more than US$314 million over five years (2006-2011), on the upgrading of the Education sector, referred to as the Education and Training Sector Improvement Programme (ETSIP). This includes the upgrading of teacher and student skills in ICT. It has however indicated that this is insufficient in the short-term. ETSIP includes the Tech/Na! component which aims to roll out ICTs in schools. As of June 2007, about 40 schools were connected. 14 The rollout has however been slow and there have been recent newspaper reports which indicate problems in the delivery of computers to schools. This may point to a potential capacityprobleminbeingabletodeliver.TechNA!includessecondaryschoolsin thefirstphase,buttheintentionistorolloutICTstoallschoolsbytheendofPhase2.All

Frederick Philander. Namibia: First Phase of ETSIP On Track. New Era, Windhoek 21 June 2007 http://allafrica.com/stories/200706210651.html Accessed 28 February 2008

14

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librariesareincludedaspartofthesecondphase.Youthcentersintheregionsalsooffer computertraining. 3.5 Collaboration practices already existing across venues, and future opportunities The creation of Edunet, an ISP specifically geared towards educational institutions, is a good example of collaboration. The partners in the provision of subsidized Internet access are Telecom Namibia and SchoolNet Namibia and a trust was created in 2003, the XNet Development Trust, to drive forward this initiative. It is an integral part of the TechNa! (ICT in Education) initiative of the Ministry of Education. SchoolNet Namibia has established collaborative relationships with schools and a few community centers in which they provide technical support, training and computers (hardware and software). Various international donors have been collaborating with the Government of Namibia in the provision of ICTs among others e.g. Millennium Challenge Account, Finland, Sida (Sweden), UNESCO, Book Aid International, and the Luxembourg Agency for Development Cooperation. At this stage, there are few institutional opportunities beyond schools and, to a more limited extent, in libraries. The governments intention to roll out Community Information Resource Centers (CIRCs) in all the regions creates an opportunity for the sharing of scarce resources within specific geographic locations potential areas of collaboration include shared training, first level technical support and the sharing of content development in a particular region. 3.6 Buzz factor: perception of what is cool, what has momentum Mobile telephone usage is key in such a sparsely populated country, with high uptake among the youth. Schools lacking water and electricity use wireless technology combined with solar power and diesel generators. Base stations have been set up in the north of Namibia for this purpose. 3.7 Legitimate use: who decides what legitimate use of information/resources is The youth see the use of social networks and chat as necessary for their future. A few in the user survey indicated they would think twice before accepting a job with a company that does not allow access to social networking sites. The boundaries between trivial and legitimate are becoming blurred, as can be seen in the business community where many are also joining networks for the sharing of ideas and opportunities, increased networking and social interactions such as birthday reminders and the exchange of personal information. 3.8 Shifting media landscape Mobile phones have been the technology with the most pervasive impact, even in poor communities. Its potential as a content tool has however been underexploited and no attention have been given to the use of mobile for the provision of government services. The MXit message exchange program for mobile phones (GPRS/ 3G) has become a huge success among the Namibian youth. The technology allows mobile users, at an extremely low cost of less than US$ 0.001 per minute, to chat to people on their computers and to other MXit

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users on their mobiles, from anywhere in the world. Messages of up to 2000 characters can be sent. 4. Venue Assessment

4.1 Overall venue landscape assessment Four types of public access points were selected for inclusion in this study - public libraries, SchoolNets, commercial Internet cafs and educational institutions. 4.2 Public Libraries Thereare56functionalcommunitylibrarieswithanadditionalthreetobeopenedbythe endof2008.MostlibrariesaresmallwithonlyoneroomtoaccommodateICTs,shelvesand aservicecounter.Plansareunderwaytobuildregionallibrarieswithmorespace. Computersareavailablein21libraries,butonlyfivehaveinternetaccess.Afurtherten librarieswillhavecomputersbytheendofthe2008/09financialyearandanadditional10 librariesperyearwillbeprovidedwithcomputersuntil2010/11.Thesearegenerally providedforadministrativeaccess,butlibrariansmayalsoprovideaccesstothepublicif requested. 15 TheNationalLibraryinWindhoekhassevencomputersforcomputerand internetaccess,althoughtheseareveryoldandaretobereplacedbytheendof2008.In additionthereareanumberofspecialistlibrariesandresourcecentersforteachers(about 17),andadulteducation(about3),butthesedonotprovidebroaderpublicaccess.A communitylibrarybasedinthelessdevelopedareaofGreenwellMatongainWindhoekis currentlybeingrenovatedandwillprovideacomputerlabwith10computers.Four libraries were visited but user surveys could only be carried out in two. The research revealed the following findings: Libraries are generally used by younger members of the population such as schoolchildren, students and job seekers. 89% of the users were aged between 15 and 35 years, and the remainder (11%) under the age of fifteen. 98% of the users were Black with the remaining 2% being White. Most of the users visited the library daily (52%) or about once a week (26%). Web browsing (47%) and emails (35%) are the most common uses for the internet in the National library. A rather large number, 20.6%, were just marking time and not using the computers for any specific reason. 5% were using the computers to play games. Librariestendtobesituatedinthecentralbusinessdistrictsofthesmallertowns. AlthoughgenerallyNamibiantownsarenotverylarge,thiswouldstillmeanthat previouslydisadvantagedcommunitieswouldhavetotravellongerdistancestoreach libraries,eitherbytaxiorwalking. ThefewlibrariesthatofferInternetaccessdosofreeofcharge.Thelibrarymembership feesarealsolow. Librariesplayasignificantroleasplacesofstudy.Forexample,theNationalLibraryin Windhoekhassmallmeetingroomsandprivatefacilitiesforstudyaswellasdesksin themainlibraryarea.Therearegenerallyusedbystudents.Incontrast,theGreenwell MatongoCommunityLibraryconsistsofasinglelargeroomwhichhousesbooks,as
15 NationalLibraryofNamibiaWebsite,listofalllibrarieshttp://www.nln.gov.na/nis/address.htmlAccessed2March2008.Updated informationprovidedthroughpersonalcommunication,11March2008.

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wellastwocomputers,buthasprovidedseveralrowsofseatingforschoolchildrento readandstudy.Thelibraryiswelluseddespitebeinghotandcramped. Mostofthepopulationconsidersotherservicesfromgovernmenttobemoreimportant thantheprovisionofinformationvialibraries.Thereisnostrongreadingcultureinthe country,althoughtheincreasedliteracyratehasresultedinamorepositiveattitudeto libraries. TheprovisionofICTsislikelytorequireadditionalbudgetforlargerrooms, electrificationandwiring,andadditionalsecurityduetothehigherriskoftheftof electronicgoods.

4.3 SchoolNets Thelargestnumberofaccesspointsiscurrentlysetupthroughschoolsandtheactivitiesof SchoolNetNamibia.Close to 90% of all school installations can be found in the four Northern regions... This is one of the most neglected areas in the country, primarily as it was a war zone before Independence. Outofatotalofabout1626schools,700haveaccesstoICTsandofthese280presently haveconsistentinternetaccessforlearnersandteachers.About40(20%)oftheseschools offerICTaccesstothelocalcommunities.SchoolNetNamibiahasbeenprovidingtechnical supportand24/7Internetaccesstotheseschools.Italsoprovidesafreenationalhelpdesk. Inthoseschoolswithoutwaterandelectricitytheyhaveusedwirelesstechnologyin combinationwithsolarpoweranddieselgenerators.FurtherrolloutofICTstoschoolswill takeplacethroughtheTechNa!InitiativeandtheMinistryofEducation.SchoolNetNamibia remainsthelargestproviderofICTsinthecountry. Most SchoolNet installations are situated inside the classrooms of existing schools with electricity supply and telephone access. TheSchoolNetlabsconsistof520thinclient, refurbishedcomputerswithalltherequiredhardwaretoallowInternetaccess.The management of the computer class is done by students themselves with a prefect system and an assigned teacher. The hardware is generally two generations behind (i.e. Pentium 3 at present), and only Open Source software is used. This was a decision taken by SchoolNet early in its inception. The maintenance and upgrading of the equipment is managed by students who have received training from SchoolNet staff. There is no charge for students to use the facilities but the schools pay an initial installation fee and then monthly support fees. SchoolNet offices operate largely with volunteers from the community, who are provided with online training courses and ongoing on-the-job training. These volunteers assist schools in servicing and maintaining their equipment. Volunteers are also used to train school staff and students. SchoolNetalsoprovidesrelevantcontenttostudentsandeducatorsthroughitsEdukar educationalsoftwaresuitesuchasatypingtutor,Wikipedia,gamesandbooks.SchoolNet Namibiapromotestheuseoffreeandopensourcesoftwaresolutions. Survey results, based on site visits and the user survey, reveal that: SchoolNet Namibias Headquarters in Katatura (Windhoek) is the busiest of all public access points. 15

Public Access to Information and Communication Venues

The users in the SchoolNet venues are mostly using email (35%) and web-browsing (45%), the latter being used mainly for researching school projects. Users tend to use the venue on a regular basis and often daily (47%). It is presumed that most of them stay in close proximity to the center. The biggest barriers were identified as not enough services available (31%) and the operating hours (32%) The SchoolNet areas at schools are well supported and most students see it as a privilege to make use of these facilities. Some students even skip their regular classes to make use of the facility.

4.4 Internet Cafes ThecommercialprovisionofInternetservicesisflourishinginNamibia.Mostmajorurban areashavemultipleinternetcafscateringforbrowsing,emailandgaming.LANing (gamingoveranetwork)hasalsotakenoffandthereareregularcompetitions.ThePost OfficeandTelecomalsoprovideinternetaccessatsomeoftheirvenues.Quiteafewbanks havestartedprovidingasmallworkingareawithinthebankwhereclientscandoInternet banking.Thehardwareandsoftwareavailableisstateoftheart,howevertheconnection speedsarestillveryslow.Asthesearecommercialentities,afeeischargedperhour(+/ N$30).Thisisnotaffordabletothemajorityofthepopulation. ThelegalframeworkisstillpendingastheInformationandCommunicationBillhasstill notbeentabled.Inthepolicyframework,GovernmenthasclearlyindicatedthatInternet CafswillbeallowedtoprovideadditionalservicessuchasVOIP. Nine Internet cafs were visited but only five were included in the survey (four commercial sites in Windhoek, three in Rehoboth and one in Okahandja). Researchrevealsthat: TheWindhoekPostOfficeprovidesthreeInternetaccesspoints,butthesedonot appeartobewellused.Accordingtoavailableinformation,nootherpostofficesinthe countryprovideICTaccess. Mostoftheusersarenotlocals,buttouristsorvisitorsfromothercountries.Mostare usingtheinternetforbrowsing(45%)andemails(36%).Theusersarealsogenerally olderperhapsbecauseitisduringthedaywhenmostyoungerpeopleareatschool,or thecostsaretoohigh.Justoverhalf(50%)areolderthan25.(Fewerthan30%ofall usersinterviewedwereover25). Thestaffsizesaregenerallysmall(aroundonestaffmemberperfivecomputers),but aretechnologicallywelltrained. Theregularityofvisitswasmuchlowerthanalltheothervenues(fewerthan10%were visiteddaily).Alsothetypeofservicerequiredwasdescribedasadequatebyusersand only14%wantedmoreservices. Thebiggestcomplaintfromusersisthatsomevenuesdonotallowtheuseofmemory sticks.

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Public Access to Information and Communication Venues

4.5

Educational institutions

Twoeducationalvenueswereincludedintheresearch,bothwithICTaccessbutallowing limitedaccesstothepublic.TheInstituteofInformationTechnologyWindhoekprovidesIT trainingtostudents,generallyfromhigherincomebackgrounds.Thefacilityhasoverthirty terminalswithaccesstotheInternetandisalsoanICDL 16 testingcenter.TheNamibia InstituteforEducationalDevelopment(NIED)islocatedtwokilometersfromthesmalltown ofOkahandjaandisaneducationalbuildingcomplexforteachers,trainers,curriculum developers.AsitevisitshowedthatthelibraryiswellstockedwithbooksbuttheInternet connectioniserratic.Thevenueisverydifficulttoaccesswithpublictransportandhas veryfewusersfromoutside. 5. 5.1 Success Factors and Recommendations Summary of Lessons in Country

This research study has confirmed that there is little ICT activity in the country outside of the extensive activities of SchoolNet Namibia. There has been positive movement in the ICT policy environment and the creation of a Ministry of ICT should contribute towards stronger collaboration between government ministries, NGOs working in the ICT training/provision arena, and the private sector. 5.2 Success factors and recommendations for promoting public access to ICTs

5.2.1 Success Factors TherolloutofICTtoschoolsappearstohavebeenthemostsuccessfulprojectinNamibia, despitethedifficultiesofdialupaccess,littleavailablebandwidth,longtraveldistancesto providetechnicalsupportandthedifficultiesofprovidingreliable24/7internetaccess. There is a need for better coordination between the government departments regarding ICT rollout to ensure the optimal utilization of limited resources. The Government has designated that all constituency offices (13 regions with 107 constituency offices) should be equipped with ICTs. The proposed Community Information Resource Centers will require shared use of the fiberoptic backbone already rolled out to these constituency offices, as well as alternative power sources for those venues not on the electricity grid. 5.2.2 Recommendations Five key recommendations can be made which should positively impact on extending the reach and uptake of public ICT access points: Recommendation1:Asituationalanalysisisneededtoidentifyalltheexistingcommunity accesspoints(clinics,libraries,schools,recreationalcenters,craftcenters,etc.)andidentify bestpractice.
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International Computer Drivers License certification for ICT literacy.

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Public Access to Information and Communication Venues

Recommendation2:IntroducingICTsintolibrariesrepresentsasignificantopportunity sincethereareonlytwolibrariesinthecountrythatareconnectedtotheInternet. Recommendation3:AnextensiveICTliteracycampaignisrequiredingovernmentaswell thebroaderpopulation.ICTtrainingshouldbeincludedmoreprominentlyinthetraining ofteachersandlibrarians,aswellascivilservants. Recommendation4:eGovernmentservicesneedtobeidentifiedandimplemented. Governmentwebsitesmustbecomemorefunctional. Recommendation5:Moreresearchisneededtoassesstheavailabilityofcontentinlocal languages,theextenttowhichthisisrequired,thelikelylevelsofdemandandthetypeof contentthatcouldbedevelopedforfutureuseinlibraries,schoolsandyouthdevelopment centers. 6. Conclusion In conclusion, Namibia represents a challenging environment for the rollout and uptake of ICTs and the provision of information services. The very low level of ICT penetration presents a challenge as well as an opportunity. The Government of Namibias efforts to address ICTs through the Education Sector is laudable and should create an opportunity, through schools, to extend ICT access to the largely youthful population of the country. Likewise the efforts to place ICTs in libraries should have an impact in meeting the clearly pent-up demand for broader ICT access. The pervasive presence, even in poorer communities, of mobile phones indicates the need for government to strongly consider this technology for its future provision of government information to citizens.

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