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 a t tempt has been made i n this study to examine the
problems of information development and information and
development in Uganda. Uganda has potential for soil-eoonomio
development. Transport and communication are reasonably well
developed. Information communication i s however, still a
problem. There is no single national language used in all
parts of the country. English, the official language , has not
spread adequately t o serve as a common medium of
communication. The present economic infrastructure cannot
support national free and compulsory basic education to
eradiate illiteracy.
Information activities i n the country are weak .
Information seeking and use behavior has not evolved t o
constitute a high demand for information . Access to technical
and specialized information is still limited t o a small
section of the society the educated and elite working and
living in towns. Almost all media infrastructure and other
supporting infrastructures are urban based. The available
media services are not adequately serving the rural people who
constitute more about 90% of the population of Uganda.
Institutions in the rural areas cannot buy and maintain
information on dissemination equipment and materials due t o
poverty and illiteracy. Multiplicity of languages also limits
media services. Information as an overall resource tor national
development needs t o be properly coordinated. There is need t o
coordinate information on generating and disseminating
intra structures in the country. Application on of information t o
national~ development should be
.~ , done consciously and
deliberately not accidentally or haphazardly Informatics will not malted an impact on national and
information resource share in support of development without
a national information coordination and clear a policy on
information. without proper coordination and applications of
information, involving into information activities might prove
a liability, exposing the nation to unchecked exploitation .
Proper coordination requires well trained and competent
information personnel. Information policy issues and their implications are
discussed. Policy stat interrelation 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
Information Science