Minister for Information and Communications Technology Hon. Timothy Masiu officially opened the new ICT Learning Centre at the Maprik Secondary School , East Sepik Province on Friday 27 January 2023.
The Centre consists of computers and internet access. Speaking during the official opening, Minister Masiu said Maprik Secondary School is amongst five other schools that have been selected.
“Opening of the ICT Learning Centre in the school will benefit people in the surrounding communities and also business houses in the district,” Minister Masiu said.
“This is a critical infrastructure which cost more than K200, 000.00 and it will assist the school and the surrounding community and government services and business houses within a 15-kilometer radius from this facility.”
“The government through my ministry and NICTA supported by the Department of ICT are pushing forward the government’s digital transformation agenda and this project is a major part of this.
“I urged the school and students to make effective use of this service and for the good of individuals and surrounding communities as well.”
Minister Masiu further stressed that most people are now abusing the use of internet services in the country.
“I strongly urged everyone that will be benefiting from this project not to misuse the service, rather apply positive use using the service that is provided,” he challenged the students.
“As we bring this technology out to the rural areas, we are taking some risks and my department working with NICTA will be monitoring while there are laws in place to punish those who abuse these services if found,” he further stressed.
He said it is an International Telecommunication Union Pacific Satellite Connectivity project to assist Pacific Islands in the Asia – Pacific region in the development of Satellite Communications Capacity and Emergency Communications.
“The future of the world is a digital future and we are not wrong in rolling out this sort of infrastructure and services and it is only the positive use of such facilities that we will see a positive impact in all areas.
“My department under the government’s agenda of Digital Transformation will continue to bring these services and others throughout the country.”
NICTA is rolling out this project with Computer equipment’s over wired and wireless network that may be accessible to the local communities surrounding the schools.
NICTA also deployed solar power for the network equipment partnering with Kacific and Genesis Communications
