HE Dr A K Jugessur,
High Commissioner of Mauritius
We have to strive to make knowledge-based society a reality so that incidences of digital divide vanish from society
Development of education is of critical importance for ensuring societal transformation. Every generation of thinkers, has considered education to be a fulcrum for change.
The 21st century faces many new challenges. These challenges can only be resolved when the educational institutions develop the capacity to operate in a knowledge driven society. Knowledge lies in transforming teachers from a content, transmission mode into mediators of knowledge.
Students no longer have only teachers and schools as primary source of information. Information is now becoming accessible to all through TV, Radio, Newspapers, DVDs, Internet, and Mobile Technologies.
However, we also need to keep in mind that in the field of education, even more important than the technology is the implementation of the technology. It is important that we plan a process. Countries should carefully choose the model to expand the education. What has worked in other locations may not necessarily be suitable in our own developing nations.
Training of our teachers is as important as having latest computers, because it is the teachers who are going to teach the students.
The teachers have to be empowered and given the means to successfully implement a digitisation process. Miracles cannot be expected from the existing education system, if teachers are not fully trained, and the basic infrastructure like electricity is not here.
