OIA and FKR: B&H Government is Not Prepared for Computerization of Education

OIA BIH

31 January 2007

Between November 22 and December 15, 2006, the Youth Information Agency (OIA) and the Creative Development Foundation (FKR) organized a campaign for collection of support letters for establishment of computerization budget for B&H system of education.

The campaign was supported by a great number of nongovernmental, youth and student organizations from all parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina (a total of 47 organizations with 11,659 members).

The collected support letters were then submitted to the representatives of legislative and executive branches of power in all levels, as well as to political parties, so they could take urgent measures to secure budget line dedicated to the development of information society in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Lamentably, none of the contacted government representatives answered so far, or informed the public about any measures taken and proposed changes in the budgets, confirming the suspicions that they are not prepared to work in the interest of the citizens.

Youth activists wonder if the representatives of the ministries of education, transport and communications, as well as elected members of parliamentary assemblies at all levels of government took their offices because of the salaries and other benefits, without any obligations to make concrete moves forward in the development of education system, society and economy in B&H.

The current irresponsibility and incompetence seem to prove their suspicions. The youth activists announced that they already prepare additional activities to attempt and change such approach and view, or at least discredit the shameful role government representatives play in the prevention of development of the education system and overall progress in the country.

The current education system in B&H is not good service for the development of information society, for it doesn�t provide enough opportunity to educate the young people in the area of information technologies and their use in education.

The key problem is that the state, entity and cantonal budgets don�t include or offer very limited funds for development of ICT in schools, as well as ICT use in scientific and research activities. There are no government subsidies for broadband internet use in the curricula of educational institutions! Teachers are not trained to apply ICTs in the process of education! The legislation for establishment of national Agency is blocked and paralyzed. There is no academic network on FB&H and national levels. The Information Society papers, strategies and action plan, adopted in 2003, remain dead letters on papers.

The adequate use of ICT can prove to be a shortcut for developing countries, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina. The countries that encouraged strong development of ICT capacities inside their official education systems registered fastest social and economic growth and development. The best example of that approach is Ireland, which managed to become one of the richest countries in the world over the past 20 years through its investments in ICTs.