EUP1501_Portfolio October/ November.

EUP1501_Portfolio October/ November. EUP1501 - Ethical Information And Communication Technologies For Development Solutions. How to narrow the digital divide: First a summit should be hosted between the ICT companies in South Africa and the government so that both can have a forum in which they can discuss their various problems and possibly discuss reasonable solutions that meet the approval of both. That should be done first because a considerable amount of time would be needed to implement those solutions. Next ICT companies that have a corporate social investment division in place should be spoken to and a proposal that as part of their community investment they should volunteer to educate those that don’t know much about ICT’s. The companies could offer internships and jobs to those who learn about ICT’s quite well thereby providing incentives for the people to really do well and also increasing their income. Companies that sell ICT’s like Samsung, Vodacom and so on should be spoken to, to donate computers to primary schools so that the students can learn how to use them from a younger age. A proposal should be put forth to universities that have a school of education that part of the requirement to complete their qualification would be work based learning and so those students who have a working knowledge of computers could instruct at the schools where the computers are donated. Quite a few companies sell their ICT equipment second hand once its depreciated. Instead of reselling all their old equipment a plan should be introduced where a percentage of the equipment can be donated to those who need it. Our government needs to make South Africa more attractive to foreign ICT companies so that they would invest in South Africa therefore lowering the costs of owning and operating ICT’s. Our government should meet with the foreign ICT companies and discuss legal, reasonable and allowable incentives that would ensure their investment. The infrastructure in rural areas for ICT’s need to roll out at a quicker pace and so if the ICT companies donated the computers as mentioned above there would be an increased demand for the infrastructure to be in put in place. The companies providing the infrastructure would probably be more comfortable knowing that it is going to be in use and not just lying dormant. Also as more people use ICT’s, the more they would realize the advantages and benefits it has and so would invest in purchasing their own ICT’s therefore the infrastructure would be catering to a burgeoning market. Government could subsidize the infrastructure development by creating a fund that would require global ICT companies that have branches in South Africa to pay a small percentage of their profits into it. Schools should have seminars for both boys and girls that teaches them the importance of females working and also the benefits for society and families when females work. Parents should be made aware of the subtle things that they teach their sons and daughters thereby causing the mindset that males should work and females should stay at home. Boys should also be taught from a young age that women should be allowed to choose what they want their future to be. Women should be informed about the various advantages and benefits working could have for them. Centres for women that focus on abuse and ill treatment of should incorporate a program so that women who aren’t employed can learn how to use ICT’s and improve their chances of becoming employed. In rural areas where the access to technical assistance can be scarce the companies that provide the technical assistance can identify, train and employ a person on a part time basis so she/he can provide the necessary assistance to the community. A list of the characteristics that can be applied to sub-standard ICT’s that should not be bought should be made widely available so that people do not purchase low quality ICT’s that discourage them from using it because it does not work properly. A centre should be set up in urban areas where you can sell your old ICT’s that no longer work or you do not want anymore for a small amount of money and they can then be refurbished or repaired by qualified technicians for resale resulting in good quality second hand ICT’s for cheaper amounts. Older people who lack the motivation to use ICT’s should be given a questionnaire that identifies certain problems that they have that can be remedied by use of an ICT. They should then be shown how an ICT could help solve their problem and be allowed to use the ICT, on loan, for a week so that they can see the benefit of it. Google should introduce a feature where you can filter web results so that results specific to your country would be displayed first thus enabling people to view content that is relevant to them. ICT manufacturers should liaise with physically impaired people to find out what would be the best way to incorporate ICT’s into their lives and then implement the results. I arrived at my final list by revisiting the original list I created for the assignment and also incorporating the replies I received specifically from T.Seanego, who had different points than I did. My list was quite extensive and thus I had many points in common with others. References 1. Closing Digital Divide Critical to Social, Economic Development, Delegates Say at Second Committee Debate on Information and Communications Technologies | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. 2018. Closing Digital Divide Critical to Social, Economic Development, Delegates Say at Second Committee Debate on Information and Communications Technologies | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. [ONLINE] Available at: 2. CNET. 2018. Kofi Annan's IT challenge to Silicon Valley - CNET. [ONLINE] Available at: August 2018]. 3. Factors which create the Digital Divide - Social. 2018. Factors which create the Digital Divide - Social. [ONLINE] Available at: [Accessed 05 August 2018]. 4. DIGITAL DIVIDE: Factors Affecting Digital Divide. 2018. DIGITAL DIVIDE: Factors Affecting Digital Divide. [ONLINE] Available at: