Prof. Bitange Ndemo is an associate professor at the University of Nairobi's Business School and the former Permanent Secretary of Kenya’s Ministry of Information and Communication having served from 2005 to 2013

1. Facilitating the Future of
Education and the
Knowledge Based Economy
BITANGE NDEMO, PHD.
BNDEMO@BITANGENDEMO.ME

2. The Policy
Universal Access;
Fair Regulation;
Re-investing ICT resources into ICT projects;
Rationalized Resource Utilization, Education, Health and agriculture;
Electronic Records;

3. What we know to be true?

4. Connectivity in Africa

5. National Optical Fiber Backbone Infrastructure (NOFBI)
5
Uganda
Tanzania
Somalia
INDIAN OCEAN
Ethiopia
Eastern
North Eastern
Coast
Central
Nyanza
Rift Valley
Western
Central region
Coat and North
Eastern region
Telkom Kenya
Network
Western Region
Lokichoggio
Lodwar
Kitale
Weybuye__
Kakamega
Eldoret
Kisumu
Kisii
Kericho
Bomet
Narok
Rongo
Isebania
Nairobi
Kaljiado
Namanga
Tala Kitui
Makau Mwingi
Garissa
Garsen
Thika
Muranga
Nyeri
Embu
Meru
Nanyuki
Nyahururu
Nakuru
Isielo
Wajiir
Marsabit
Moyale
Mandera
159
770
Mobasa
Malindi
Kilifi

6. 6
Unprecedented Pressure
on Organizational Performance
Falling Revenues
Adapting to
Technology
Innovation
Major
Demographic
Shifts
These factors converge to create an increasingly challenging environment
More…
…data
…risk
…complexity
…pressure for change
Rising Citizen Demands

7. 7
Rising Citizen Demands
Citizens expect more transparency, ease and quality of service,
accountability and government efficiencies
Drivers Transition to “e-governance”
• Government-wide collaboration around
outcomes
• Flexible and tailored service delivery
strategies
• Technology-enabled citizen participation
• Open, transparent and accountable
government
Increasing citizen expectations:
Citizens demand more flexible,
personalized public services
Social media revolution:
Citizens can engage with
government as never before
Increasing citizen participation:
Citizens are no longer content to
be passive consumers of services

8. Four Pillars of The Knowledge Economy
World Bank identified the following four pillars as critical requisites for a country to be able to fully
participate in the knowledge economy:
Education & Training
◦ An educated and skilled population is needed to create, share and use knowledge.
Information Infrastructure
◦ A dynamic information infrastructure-ranging from radio to the internet-is required to facilitate the effective
communication, dissemination and processing of information.
Economic Incentive & Institutional Regime
◦ A regulatory and economic environment that enables the free flow of knowledge, supports investment in
Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and encourages entrepreneurship is central to the knowledge
economy.
Innovation Systems
◦ A network of research centers, universities, think tanks, private enterprises and community groups is necessary to
tap into the growing stock of global knowledge, assimilate and adapt it to local needs, and create new knowledge.

9. What we need to do
Investment on ICT infrastructure
Automation to enable sharing and distribution of knowledge
Regulatory and Policy interventions on affordability and access to ICT resources
Remove taxes on ICT accessories –Mobile Phones especially due to their ubiquity
The triple Helix – Partnerships between the Government, Private sector and Universities to
foster innovation