Computer training available in more than half of Eritrean schools

Fair Allocation of Infotech Resources (FAIR) (http://www.fairinternational.org) has, with financial support from NORAD, assisted schools in Eritrea with second hand computers for several years.

FAIR is an international non-profit NGO aiding developing countries by supplying resources within ICT and offering hardware, software, installation, training, support and take-back systems for EE-waste. FAIR has operations in more than 15 developing countries. In Eritrea, FAIR has contributed with approximately 2000 computers, and the Embassy has been told that they have been distributed to 72 out of 115 schools. That means that FAIR has contributed with computers to over 60 percent of Eritrean schools.

During FAIR Norway’s monitoring visit to Eritrea, the Norwegian Embassy, together with the Eritrean Ministry of Education, joined the visit to Foro secondary school 14 December 2010. The Embassy observed how the “Norwegian-sponsored computers” were being used in the ICT teaching. The school had 531 students of which 98 students in 9th grade and 160 students in 10th grade were said to receive ICT education. The lap-tops were being charged by energy from solar panel as the school had no other electricity.