INTRODUCTION
Information and knowledge are essential for the advancement of human well-being and progress. The concept of knowledge or information society that is currently being championed by the United Nations (UN), through the United Nation’s Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is about the development of capacities for identification, production, dissemination and utilization of information for human development. Knowledge societies are considered essential to the attainment of the Millennium Goals of the United Nations. It is for this reason that in the 2006 – 2007 biennium, the priorities of UNESCO under its Major Programme V are the:

• Empowerment of people through access to information and knowledge with special emphasis on freedom of expression,

• Promotion of communication development, and
• Advancement of the use of ICTs for education, science and culture.

These priorities are tackled around two main areas, namely: “Empowering people through access to information and knowledge with special emphasis on freedom of expression”, and “Promoting communication development and advancing the use of ICTs for education, science and culture”.

The strategic objectives associated with the pursuit of the above priorities revolve around the promotion of the free flow of ideas and universal access to information; promotion of the expression of pluralism and cultural diversity in the media and world information; and access for all to information and communication technologies, especially in the public domain.

NATIONAL STATUS
AND ACHIEVEMENTS
The following are high-lights of status and achievements under the two main areas indicated in the fore-going paragraphs.

Empowering people through access to information and knowledge with special emphasis on freedom of expression
Owing to its importance for populations in developing countries, empowering people through access to information and knowledge is a focus of Major Programme V that portends benefits to Kenya. The focus recognizes the critical link between freedom of information and access to information and knowledge. It is to be operationalized through four sub-themes, namely:
• Creating an enabling environment for the promotion of freedom of expression and universal access.

• Promoting policies and standards, raising awareness and monitoring.

• Fostering community access and diversity.
• Training information and media professionals and strengthening related institutions.

Following great advances in communication technology, it is now possible to have low cost universal access and, therefore, enable access and adoption of best practice in areas important to people’s lives and livelihoods. Towards this enabling environment, the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) recently concluded a study on the implementation and management of a Universal Access Fund to facilitate and enhance access in the country.

The global democratization agenda is opening up a culture of self-expression and articulation. Circumstances appear right for a major drive for a new development platform of information and knowledge, and for a culture of experimentation, sharing and renaissance. Kenya appreciates UNESCO’s model of community media centers (CMCs) that combines the community radio, telecentre and on-line facilities will enable even those that are illiterate to access voice content. These facilities would even enable the illiterate produce their own contents and make them available on-line. In addition, Kenya also views the community radio as a critical interface for the domestication of information and knowledge from elsewhere. The community radio offers a dynamic interface on a pool basis as it is enriched through decentralization of production thus facilitating widespread participation. In the same spirit, it is the country’s hope that UNESCO will initiate pilot low cost community television.

The issues of community centered development and change is critical to Africa and especially Kenya. Through international cooperation, a conscious nurturing of the Kenyan youth, now comprising about 70% of the country’s population, can help establish a generation that would compete in technological innovation in the fields of information and communication. With the breakdown of the traditional African structures, Kenya looks forward to UNESCO also focusing on the information needs of the ageing population and meeting those through the use of ICTs.

In terms of cultural preservation, it is noteworthy that since 1928, Kenya, through her broadcasting corporation, KBC, has built one of the largest and richest collections of radio and television audiovisual archives in Africa. In the 70s and 80s most national and state functions were captured in the 2-inch videotapes. These collections include gramophone records, audiotapes, films, conventional paper records and videotapes. According to a survey carried out in 2000, about 500 of the 2-inch tapes are available with KBC and contain important information on cultural aspects of the people of Kenya.

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Attempts to revive the tapes have so far failed due to lack of spare parts. Similar institutions dealing with audiovisual materials in the country no longer have the playback machines. Consequently, the information contained in the tapes cannot be migrated into the newer formats like CDs. Under the Public Archives and Documentation Act. Cap 19 of the Laws of Kenya, these materials are supposed to be preserved in the Department, but the inability to read the tapes means that over twenty years of Kenya’s national heritage will disappear thus denying future generations the knowledge of the early post colonial era. Copying of these tapes can be done using facilities in other countries.

Promoting communication development and advancing the use of ICTs for education, science and culture
ICTs are central to realization of the strategic objectives of Major Programme V and the eventual attainment of knowledge society. Being both drivers and enablers of change, ICTs influence the way things are done and consequently drive current and future changes in service delivery and competitiveness in various sectors of any economy. Among the requirements for effective integration of ICTs in various sectors are:
• The development of ICT capabilities for enhancing productivity and competitiveness. This entails the development of competence; networks, infrastructure, knowledge base and the promotion of enterprise;

• The development of ICT applications their dissemination and use in identified national priority areas;

• The creation of awareness, the establishment of networks and provision of adequate resources- financial, material and human are essential; and

• A framework for sustenance of a national ICT sector supportive of the national development framework and strategy.

The Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation 2003 – 2007 currently being implemented by the Government is founded on two main principles of democracy and empowerment, both of which are predicated on free flow of information and knowledge. In the strategy, the Government commits to investing in adequate ICT education and training. The strategy involves streamlining of education curriculum to incorporate ICT studies with a view to developing appropriate skills that are transferable to other sectors of the economy. It is therefore in the best interest of the country’s future social and economic well being that communications development is promoted and the use of ICTs advanced in the country.

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Development of communication media and advancement of the use of ICTs
Dissemination of information and knowledge through various communication media need to be promoted in order to create an enabling environment for effective participation of all citizens in national social and economic processes.

Fostering media development in Kenya would empower the people and provide a democratic atmosphere conducive for production. But, effective exploitation of the potentials of ICTs in the country requires not only the basic access, but also a good understanding of the technologies.
In an effort to achieve an all inclusive information society, the Government is pursuing or has undertaken number activities for the development of communication media and the use of ICTs in the country. These include:

The National WSIS Plan of Action Implementation Taskforce
Established in May 2004, the National WSIS Plan of Action Implementation Taskforce had, among other responsibilities the coordination of the implementation of the Geneva WSIS Plan of Action within the country. Since its formation, the Task-force held six meetings and charted the country’s roadmap to Tunis-2.

National ICT
Policy/e-Strategy
A National Stakeholders Conference held from 13th - 15th June 2005 in Mombasa finalized the draft National ICT Policy that is due for Cabinet approval.

Use of local languages/local content of the country on the Internet
Recently, the Microsoft Corporation launched a Microsoft Windows in Kiswahili and the language is currently being used in the Internet to communicate local content.

Capacity Building in ICTs
The Ministry of Education is in the process of reviewing educational policies to ensure that ICTs are fully integrated in education and training at all levels. ICT is currently being taught as a subject in Primary and Secondary schools. In addition, ICT is being used as a tool for delivery at both Primary and Secondary schools.

Gender mainstreaming using ICTs
In an effort to bridge the gender disparity and empower women, the Government created the Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services Ministry. The Gender arm of the Ministry has the responsibility of promoting equal training opportunities in ICT-related fields for women, girls, boys and men. Recently, the United Nations (UN) Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) conducted training for Gender main-streaming using ICTs in Addis Ababa, Ethiophia.

ICT Applications for Socio-Economic Development
Electronic Government (E-government)
In March 2004, the Cabinet passed an E-Government Strategy. The overall goal of the initiative was to make the Government more result-oriented, efficient and citizen centred. E-Government would enable citizens to access Government services and information efficiently and effectively through the use of Internet and other channels of communication.

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Management of Education
In regard to education management, the Government had recently initiated the development and eventual establishment of a national Education Management Information system (EMIS). The system presents significant opportunities for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of education management through the use of ICT data repositories and networks.

Electronic Learning
(e-Learning) - Kenya Education Network (KENET)
The Kenya Education Network (KENET) project was conceptualised under a Leyland initiative in August 1999, with the aim of establishing sustainable communication and networking among educational institutions in Kenya. It also aimed at facilitating wide use of Internet technology in teaching, research and enhancing the sharing of other information resources among the general populace at affordable cost. This was to be achieved through interconnecting all the universities and a selected number of tertiary and research institutions in Kenya.

Electronic Health (E-Health)
The African Medical & Research Foundation (AMREF) has initiated a regional tele-medicine project targeting four rural hospitals initially in Kenya and Tanzania. Uganda will be also a beneficiary later. AMREF has been attempting to affect the problem of healthcare in poorly served rural populations by bringing healthcare to the people since its inception in 1957. Communities remain overwhelmingly rural-based where health services are limited. In contrast, the epi-center of healthcare expertise and resources in Africa remains in the cities.
Traditionally in AMREF, the technologies of radio and the airplane have been used to achieve this goal in a programme called Clinical Outreach. Recently AMREF has embarked on a more innovative and creative use of ICT, in a concept known as telemedicine, to improve quality, access and cost of its clinical outreach programme. The outreach programme currently covers 75 government and mission hospitals while the telemedicine pilot project has initially targeted 4 hospitals with a view to expanding to cover all the 75 hospitals. Efforts are being made to have a national telemedicine project.

Electronic Agriculture
(E-Agriculture)
Farmers in many parts of the country can now get information on market prices of their agricultural products by Short Messaging Services (SMS) through the use of mobile phones.

Posta Surf
The Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK) has connected over 500 out of its 900 outlets to the Internet through Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) technology. This has extended Internet access to the rural areas and is a contribution towards achieving Universal Access to ICT services.

Public Private Partnerships (PPP)
The need for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in addressing key development challenges in the country has been recognized and some PPPs in Kenya now include:

Kenya Network
Information Centre (KENIC)
KENIC was established through the facilitation by the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK). KENIC is the entity charged with the Management or supervision, as appropriate, of the dot ke Country Code Top-Level Domain (.ke ccTLD) name. KENIC founder members are drawn from the Government, Private sector and the civil society.

Kenya computer for schools trust fund
Kenya ICT Trust Fund is a registered consortium in the form of an NGO in Kenya that brings together many partners from the public, private and civil society sectors. The main objective of the Trust is to mobilize funds for the sole purpose of setting up computer laboratories in all Kenyan secondary schools in 4-5 years.

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The current membership of the consortium include the Government of Kenya (GOK) through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MOEST), Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KENGEN), Microsoft Corporation, Kenya Airways (KQ), Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), East African Standard, TelKom Kenya limited (TKL), Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK), Kenya Pipeline Corporation (KPC), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Safaricom limited, Barclays Bank of Kenya (BBK), and Network Initiatives of Computers in Education (NICE) as the implementing arm of the consortium.

CHALLENGES
The telecommunication sector services are currently inadequate and inefficient with a concentration of the services in urban areas. Inadequacies also exist regarding policies and legislation that contribute to freedom of expression and media independence. With regard to education and its management, the challenge is how best to achieve education management efficiency with the underdeveloped infrastructure, especially, the lack of power supply and telephone in the rural and marginal areas that is responsible for low penetration and usage of ICTs in the country. Also, the widespread illiteracy among the population translates also into functional illiteracy that disempowers people from embracing the technologies. The following are details of challenges in the selected sectors of education, science and culture.

Education
While ICTs can significantly enhance the learning process through increased access to knowledge and better collaboration at all levels of education, a number of challenges exist in regard to its access and use in the country. These include:
• Inequities in the distribution of resources - hardware, soft-ware, and Internet connectivity of schools across the country. This places some schools, especially those in the rural areas at great disadvantage,

• High levels of poverty and the high costs associated with ICT equipment as well as internet connectivity,
• Widespread illiteracy, especially among rural communities,

• Limited rural electrification and frequent power outages, and

• Inadequate infrastructure, especially in the rural and marginal areas.

Science and technology
Regarding use of ICT for research and dissemination of science and technology information in Kenya, key challenges include:

• Weak or lack of productive collaboration in communication between science-based institutions and their audiences coupled with lack of first-hand scientific knowledge among audiences;

• Weak or lack of collaboration between science institutions in S&T information Communication;

• Over-reliance on mass media as compared to the use of modern ICTs, especially the Internet as a means of communicating for S&T information;

• Media lacks interest in issues of science and technology even as it remains the key means for communicating S&T information; and

• Undeveloped communication skills, lack of communication training or lack of interest in communications in the scientific community;

• Lack of strong local research networks that can provide linkages through, among others; the Internet to global and regional scientific research networks is also a handicap to empowering indigenous research and development in the country.

Culture
High illiteracy levels, especially among the rural poor and the influences of traditional culture practices and values have significant impact on the reception given to modern technology and related information. Lack of or inadequacies of infrastructure and basic equipment and technologies for information management and dissemination, and absence of alternative comparable terminology for the expression of foreign concepts and ideas in the local languages makes cultural exchanges problematic.

OPPORTUNITIES
Recognition of the above challenges by the Government has been made in Sessional paper No.1 of 2005 on A Policy Framework for Education, Training and Research which also provide approaches to address them. Partnerships between the government, local communities and the private sector that can also be important in ensuring participation of all are lacking while little incentives are available to the private sector to enhance infrastructure in the rural and marginal areas towards the objective of integrating ICT in various sectors.

In education, key to realizing the objective of ICT is to create partnerships involving parents, local communities, together with public and private sector organizations in order to mobilize the required resources. The government’s investment in the sector can significantly be enhanced and supplemented through the efforts of these partners. The partnership will also enhance the development of technology, skills and infra-structure required for the successful of ICT integration.

WAY FORWARD
Awareness creation aimed at raising the status and under-standing of ICT, and the use of information and knowledge in the country is required. Training and deployment of a critical mass of ICT personnel is necessary to serve the current and future information and communication needs of the country. The current policies on education, science and culture need to provide for the development and application of ICTs and to give a high priority development of infrastructure and provision of resources in rural and marginal areas, as well as public awareness creation and training at all levels for teachers and instructors of informatics. A range of options in respect of both local contributions and of mechanisms for encouraging local investment in ICTs for use in education, science and culture need to be identified.

A comprehensive programme for realizing the integration of ICTs in education, science and culture needs to be drawn and a needs assessment should be undertaken as its basis. A partner-ship involving communities, the private sector and non-governmental organizations need to be forged with Government so as to effectively enhance the effect of and investment by the Government for a more effectively planning, funding and implementation of ICT integration into education, science and culture. A clear programme for achieving of ICT literacy among students and the general public, through instructions and awareness creation, ought to be part of the wider integration of ICTs in education, science and culture.

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