Policy on Information Systems and Services for Uganda: Suggested Formulation and Plans for Implementations.
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Date
1992-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
An attempt has been made in this study to examine the
problems of information development and information and
development in uqanda. Uqanda has potential for socio-economic
development. Transport and communication are r easonably veIl
developed. Information communication is however, still a
problem. There is no sinqle national lanquaqe used in all
parts of the oountry. Bnqlish, the offioial lanquaqe, has not
spread adequately to serve as a oommon lIedium of
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communioation. The present eoonomio infrastructure cannot
support national free and compulsory basic education to
eradicate illiteracy.
Information activities in the oountry are weak.
:Information seekinq and use behaviour has not evolved to
oonstitute a hiqh demand for information. Access to technical
and specialized information is still limited to a small
section of the society I the educated and elite vorkinq and
livinq in towns. Almost all lIedia infrastructures and other
supportinq infrastructures are urban based. The available
media servioes are not adequately servinq the rural people who
oonstitute more about 90% of the population of Uqanda.Institutions in the rural areas cannot buy and maintain
information dissemination equipment and materials due to
poverty and illiteracy. Multiplicity of languaqes al so limits
media services.
Information as an overall resouroe for national
development needs t o be properly coordinated. There is need to
ooordinate information qeneratinq and disseminatinq
i nfrastruotures in the oountry. Application of information to
national development should be done consoi ously and
deliberately not aocidentally or haphazardly.
I nformatics vill not make an impaot on national and
information resouroe sharinq in suppor t of development vi thout
a national i nformation ooordination and olear a policy on
information. without proper coordination and applications of
information, involvinq into information aotivities miqht prove
a liability, exposinq the nation to unoheoked exploitation.
Proper coordination requires well trained and competent
information personnel.
Information policy issues and their implications are
discussed. policy statements relatinq to information systems
and services, and their implementation steps have been
suqqested.
Finally, some short and lonq term recommendations in the
view of information infrastructure development in Uqanda to
support national development have been made.
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Keywords
Policy on Information Systems