Transforming education: the power of ICT policies - Commonwealth ...

Figure 3: National Planning Framework
Vision 2030
Serves as a basis for the planning of Namibia’s
future. Sets the macroeconomic framework
and long-term targets through which the vision
of the society is to be achieved.
Medium-Term Five Year Plans
National Development Plans (NDP)
The fi ve-year plans set out the macroeconomic
growth targets as well as the size and
allocation of the government’s development
programme. In addition it stipulates the role
envisaged for the private sector.
Mid-Term Review (MTR)
Stock-taking exercise to determine whether
the plan is being implemented in accordance
with the stated targets and proceeds on time.
Review strategies to make adjustments.
The Government annual budget
The annual budget in the overall
implementation of development plans.
Source: Vision 2030
82 | Transforming Education: The Power of ICT Policies
Namibia plans to be
an industrialized country
with per capita income
equal to that of developed
countries.
NDP 3 to NDP 7 will
be formulated within the
context of Vision 2030.
Thus Vision 2030 guides the Medium-term Expenditure Framework which in turn guides the Mid-term Review which
in turn guides the GRN’s annual budget. Budgetary allocations towards an ICT in Education endeavour will be
linked to an education budget at this level. Historically, Namibia has allocated a signifi cant proportion of its budget
to education and thus, within this, the plans outlined in Tech/ Na! will be considered.
With reference to funding arrangements, ETSIP is designed as a sector-wide programme and falls within the normal
planning, reporting and fi nancial arrangements of government, including the National Development Plan and the
Medium-term Plan. ETSIP is being implemented through the ThirdNational Development Plan (2006-2011) and
through Annual Work Plans which commenced in 2006-2007. The GRN generally prefers to receive budget support,
including targeted budget support. A Facility has also been created by agreement with the European Union and
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) for institutional strengthening and capacity development. The
Education Act 2001 provides for an Education Fund under the control of the Ministry of Education for disadvantaged
learners.
The additional costs associated with the implementation of the fi rst phase of ETSIP amount to an estimated
US $3 million over fi ve years, which is to be jointly fi nanced by the Namibian Government and a consortium of
international development partners. Collaboration with the Namibian private sector and civil society is also an
important aspect of ETSIP.
An important tool for conceptualizing the fi nancial resources required, is the adoption of a total cost of ownership
model. The ICT Policy for Education proposes a total cost of ownership model for consideration when calculating
the cost implications for the investment in ICT in education in Namibia. Total cost of ownership is a tool used in
fi nancial planning when working on the cost estimates of an intended intervention. It refers to the consideration of
the full range of costs, both explicit and hidden, direct and indirect, over time in order to give an indication of the
resources that will be required when planning an ICT in Education intervention. Namibian education stakeholders
have been innovative about the development of TCO models. Here the pioneering work done by SchoolNet Namibia
and GeSCI in clarifying the costs that need to be considered in a TCO model have been infl uential in the Namibian
ICT in Education policy process.