Thursday 30 October 2014

Empowering ICT teachers/tutors and Lab technicians with repair and maintenance basics

Having realized the day to day challenges of computer lab assistants and or ICT teachers in schools and Teacher training colleges, RIC-NET in partnership with CFSU organized a repair and maintenance training for the teachers and lab assistants.
The two days training that attracted ICT teachers/tutors and lab assistants from St.Charles voc s.s, St. Thereza girls-Nsenyi, kilembe s.s and Bwera teachers college was held in Fort Portal, RIC-NET head office. 
RICNET ED stressing a point
A number of ideas as well as practical (hands on) assignments were performed.
In his opening remarks the Director RIC-NET welcomed the participants and thanked their institutions’ management for having implemented a resolution that was passed of training them (participants) during a head teachers and Principals meeting that was held late last term. He went ahead in delivering one of the two days sessions content about security with computers and internet.
He wished them an inspiring and good two days training and asked them to ask and understand better.
Opening up his session on repair and maintenance, the RIC-NET ICT officer asked the participants to be more attentive, interactive and ask whatever question they would love to about the topic since he had enough expertise in that field.
The training was divided into three sessions; hard ware & security and software on day one and two respectively.
ICT Officer during the training emphasising technical issues
Several issues were discussed and performed during the two days session from 12th-13th sept.2014 including comp. blowing, installations of several software like g operating systems, hard ware troubleshooting among others.
At the end of the 2 days session the participants realized that they are actually the small things that they neglect with their computers that at the end of the day will result into serious computer problems, and thus if safe maintenance measures are practiced, there would be no serious computer break downs.
The participants promised to practice and put the skills acquired to use in their respective institutions and that there would be a field monitoring activity by the RIC-NET ICT officer to find out if there has been any change in their way of handling computers and if such common problems had reduced.
The ICT officer RIC-NET further related the computer maintenance to human health, “just like we handle our health if you took boiled water and slept under a mosquito net you may not contract those malaria and typhoid complications, and so is the same story with computers. If well maintained, scanned they may not reach a step of going down completely” he said
In his closing remarks, the Director RIC-NET asked the participants to cause a change in as far as ICT usage in their institutions is concerned. He told them to be of value to their schools and effectively use the skills attained. He further told them that Information technology is all about the attitude, that even if u acquired the skills and never pick the interest to practice those practical things then you may never progress. 
Participants doing it themselves
The training ended later in the afternoon of the second day and participant