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1.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
AND WELCOME
BACK TO BUSINESS
Sincere apologies to start with.
CYBERSCHUULNEWS went on vacation without announcement!. It was
due to a minor operational problem. Now we are back! we
thank all readers who mailed to ask what was keeping the
bulletin behind.
CYBERSCHUULNEWS
RESTRUCTURES
The presentation of
CYBERSCHUULNEWS is being modified slightly to take a
structured format. NEWS, EVENTS, TELECOM
& IT TRAINING, YOUTH MATTERS, ePERSON, NEW PRODUCTS
and EXTRAS. Of course with
front and back pages. Please stay tuned!
2.
NEWS
.NG TOP
LEVEL DOMAIN IMPASSE TO FIND SOLUTION SOON!
Stakeholders in the ongoing
misunderstanding between Government and practitioners may soon
be resolved.The Nigeria internet Group whose planned
activities had been severely impacted by the feud brought the
matter to the public Domain and this has accelerated the speed
of actions being taken to resolve the problem.
3.
EVENTS
INTERNATIONAL
TRAINING WORKSHOP!!
MANAGED-LEARNING-ENVIRONMENT,
MLE,
DEBUTS IN
NIGERIA
An effort at managing integrated
learning system as a support Environment for effective
teaching and Distance Learning Programmes is being
planned for mid-February, 2004 in Nigeria. The workshop aims
at addressing the strategic issues faced by 'digital Divide'
in implementing Managed-Learning-Environments which include
System Designs, Institutional learning supports, corresponding
targets and managing Change.
Chances are that several
institutions and professional associations, UNESCO, NCS, NITPA,
NUC, CYBERSCHUUL, USAID, TWB etc will be collaborating
to make it a reality.
AFRICAN
TELECOMS SUMMIT
A Pan-African gathering of telecom regulators,
operators, manufacturers and financiers will take place from
January 28 to 30 at the Sandton Convention Centre in
Johannesburg. It will find answers to some of the key African
telecom questions. . "The summit will allow people to
hear first hand what operators and regulators are doing in
their respective countries," The conference aims to
answer questions about regulatory measures, investment
potential, and the provision of reliable and cost-effective
telecoms for all.
The IIR's Robyn Lambert says that
the summit will provide a forum for African regulators,
operators and manufacturers to debate, brainstorm and
ultimately come up with workable, equitable and financially
viable solutions to these issues. "The summit will allow
people to hear first hand what operators and regulators are
doing in their respective countries," she says. Among the
experts that will offer presentations at the summit are the
chief executives of MTN, Vodacom, Econet, Nepad and the
Universal Service Agency. The summit will take place from
January 28 to 30 at the Sandton Convention Centre in
Johannesburg and will feature keynote addresses, case studies
and panel discussions.
4.
TRAINING
Position: Administrative
Fellowship Program
Institution: Harvard University
Location: Massachusetts
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
ADMINISTRATIVE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
Harvard University seeks to
attract candidates, especially those from underrepresented
ethnic minority groups, to administrative careers in higher
education. Applicants must have at least five years of work
experience. The 2004-05 Administrative Fellowship Program
seeks applicants with B.A. degree and backgrounds in
athletics/sports management, information technology, alumni
affairs and development (conference planning and/or fund
raising), research (behavioral sciences), finance, or human
resources (employment and compensation).
. Fellows receive stipends and are
placed in full-time work assignments in Harvard schools or
central administration departments for the duration of the
Program.
. Seminars, lectures and case studies have been designed for
the Fellows to enhance management and administrative skills,
self-assessment and career development.
. Evaluation of the applications will be based on professional
achievement, interviews at Harvard, and suitability for the
Program.
. Inclusive dates for the 2004-05 Program are September 2004
through August 2005.
. Application deadline: February 13, 2004.
Harvard upholds a commitment to
affirmative action and equal opportunity.
5.
NOW AVAILABLE IN CD'S AND ON-LINE!!!!!!!
Lecture
notes used for Class works on [1]Basic
Telecommunications Training and [2] Enhanced
Induction Training for Telecom Engineers at THE
EXECUTIVE CYBERSCHUUL are now available in Hard Copies [for
N10,000.00] and in CD's [for N5,000.00] and
ON-LINE [ for N5,000.00] per course. Pay by any means
convenient [cash, cheque, card, phonecredit, etc] to THE
EXECUTIVE CYBERSCHUUL. [Tel: 01 497 1004; 0802 322 4572]; Email tec@cyberschuul.com
For
details of course content, additional benefits, and employment
prospects in telecommunications industry, please visit our
website www.cyberschuul.com
.
Meanwhile
the next edition of The Enhanced induction Training for
Telecom Engineers is being planned to take place
February 2 - February 13, 2004. Course Fee: N75,000.00.
6.
ESSAY
CHALLENGE
OF CONSTRUCTING THE NIGERIAN ICT HIGHWAY!!!!!
NIGERIA
COMPUTER SOCIETY RAISES ICT STAKES VERY HIGH
Front line members of The
Nigeria Computer Society, NCS, recently conducted a rare and
unique tour of Silicon valley, San Jose USA. Before the
trip, the pointman of the initiative and Chairman of Events
and Trade Services of The NCS, Mr Chris Uwaje, was at The
CYBERSCHUUL where he muted the idea of making a big foray
into the thought of the guys who make Silicon Valley tick.
On his return from the five-day tour, Chris did a report
which he calls IT ROAD MAP.In this fourth edition,
Chris discusses the Silicon Valley phenomenon.
IT ROADMAP
[4]
by
CHRIS UWAJE
KNOWLEDGE
INCUBATORS: Knowledge
Incubation has become a strategic imperative and dynamic
response tool for the Silicon Valley success story. An Incubator
is a knowledge location where entrepreneurs can receive
assistance that may otherwise be unaffordable, inaccessible or
even unknown. Incubators deliver proactive support and
significant access to critical tools, information and valuable
contacts to fellow entrepreneurs. Also, it encourages knowledge
sharing for services and solutions with other businesses. Other
benefits include, access to investors and staffing. There are
about 4,000 business incubators and other business support
services worldwide. Out of all global Incubators, there are 900
traditional business Incubators in the United States. Incubators
are supported with intensive Research and Development
initiatives.
There
are also upper level incubators known as Knowledge Parks (KP),
Software Parks (SP), IT Parks (ITP), Science & Technology
Parks (SITP), Bio-Tech Park (BTP), etc. In the Silicon Valley,
the city of San Jose is the home of Incubators. There are 11
Business Incubators in Down Town San Jose. These Incubators are
funded by US City State or Federal government, and supported by
the private sector. Incubators are usually non-profit
initiatives. Clustered Incubators have made the Silicon Valley
the greatest research and development (R&D) Hubs for
worldwide technology market. Highly skilled minds from all over
the world, graduate yearly from local universities. San Jose for
example, is among the top 3 exporting metropolitan region in the
USA and delivers about 150% more exporting returns than that of
any other State in the United States of America.According to
Eric Drexler, Technology will continue to drive the pace of
change. Moore’s law will continue for more than 20 more years
– and Technology will become indistinguishable from magic. For
these and other reasons, the size of the global market segments
is changing. Buying power of diverse market segments is
increasing. Reaching diverse markets is becoming more different
but not difficult, Culture has become the greatest influence on
purchasing decision among diverse consumers. In terms of
Globalization, Africa’s major competitor is indeed located in
Asia! Six countries of origin make up the majority of the
Asian-American immigrant population (China has 23.7%;
Philippines has 18.1%; India 16.4%; Vietnam 11%; Korea 10.5% and
Japan has 7.8%. On the other hand, according to Ms. Toni Wilson,
Managing Partner of Aqua International Leadership Consulting of
San Jose, African-Americans represent about 15% of the US
Population. As at 2001, African American purchasing power was
estimated at $572.1billion. When measured against the gross
national product of other nations, the purchasing power of
African American as a group, would rank as the 11th
largest global economy. With
respect to Asian Americans, they represent 4% of the US
population, but have a growth rate of 5.2% annually (US
Census). In
2001, Asian American buying power grew to $253.8 billion. This
increase of 124.8% surpasses the total increase in purchasing
power for all minorities.
Knowledge
Incubation in the Silicon Valley has become an International
strategic imperative for mitigating the challenges of
Information Society and indeed, for survival. Visiting the
S-Valley is a wake-up call to all developing countries and to
Nigeria in particular (where
knowledge is thrown into the dustbin of life? And Education
relegated to the background of history?).
It
makes the digital divide phenomenon, so real and the catching up
lip service anchored on zero political will so myopic and
offensive to the intellect. Today, at the Silicon Valley, most
development-conscious countries of the world have now been
magnetized to the Incubator initiatives and indeed have become a
learning part of the happenings in the Silicon Valley.
More than 30 countries are currently involved in this
“Hunt for Knowledge” adventure. They include, but not
limited to: Japan, Scotland, Singapore, China, South Korea,
India, Norway, South Africa, Belgium, Brazil, Etc.
As
can be seen in the above representation Nigeria is completely
missing in the Silicon Valley Knowledge Incubation map. This by
extension, can be seen as an emerging development tragedy, not
only for Nigeria, but indeed to the entire continent of Africa.
Lessons
Learnt:
First, let’s glance at the techno-experience of Chile. Every
Country wants high-tech development, and many countries claim to
be the prime location for technology. The South American nation
of of Chile has taken significant steps to foster technology
development since returning to democratic rule a dozen years ago
– and the efforts are paying off in a big way. “ President Ricardo
Lagos of Chile made
it clear when he took office in 2000 that he intended to put
Chile on the high-tech map. In
November of the same year, he traveled to Seattle and Silicon
Valley to meet with the biggest starts of the technology sector
– including Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Cisco’s John Chambers,
Oracle’s Larry Ellison and Hewlett-Packard’s Carly Fiorina.”
Finally, Ricardo Lagos got what he wanted, because he was
focused and committed.
The
five-day Entrepreneurship Boot Camp experience revealed that IT
is not just only about Technology. It is predominantly about ‘business
life cycle’ - starting from business idea, vision,
creative invention, company incorporation, intellectual property
rights and product patenting, planning and organization,
marketing, communication skills, financing, people networking,
packaging and project presentation, understanding the market,
Accountability and Transparency, Risk planning and management,
Contract Negotiation, Process Documentation, Employee Skill
Enhancement, Building Partnerships and Strategic Alliance.
Above
all, the core activity of the entire technology process is
embedded in Research Design and Development (RD&D); Information
Back-up, storage and facility management and Team Work – all
in the above operating and functioning in a seamless and
converged network. The central message is that Entrepreneur
success in business will essentially depend on the mastery of
all the above variables, which will be driven by passion for
excellence and mission critical visionary policies. Those
variables ultimately determine the bottom line. Furthermore, we
learned that the roadmap to, and driving force behind effective,
productive and sustainable national development and economic
prosperity is small businesses and how they are
structured and encouraged to grow and sustained by incentives
supported by political will.
VALUE
OF IT LEGISLATION: Indeed,
the US economic prosperity framework is centered on small and
medium scale businesses – which form about 96% of the total
corporate business in America today! Another significant
revelation is that most world-class businesses, especially in
the Technology arena, start from home garages and blossom into
global business institutions (Microsoft, HP, Compaq, Cisco,
Yahoo, Dell for example). We also learnt that the key to the
success of the Silicon Valley Hi-tech businesses line in
visionary and community based policies, equitable legislation,
as well as time sensitive and strategic implementation plans.
These success factors are further sustained by excellent
enabling environment for education and infrastructure network
for incubating specialized human resource that often deep their
head in intensive Research work – day and night. Such
incentive driven policies help to forge productive
Industry-Academia linkages and creative networking.
IT
legislation in the Silicon Valley is seen as a formidable
instrument for incubating world-class business entities. For
example, conscious of corporate mortality, there are laws, which
protect founders of business from loosing their home/property
– when the business fails. This encourages founders of
failed business to dream greater dreams and bounce back with
successful ventures!
Finally, women empowerment is very transparent in the Silicon
Valley and demonstrates that the affirmative action as strategy
for improved productivity and national development works through
legislation. Promoting women entrepreneurship has become a
strategic imperative. It has been recognized that women are
the market of the American economy! They purchase 82% of all
household products and services and 92% of all packaged goods.
Indeed, we learned that the current wealth controlled by women
in the US, is $14
trillion and this figure will swell to $22 trillions as
baby boomers age over the next 10 years.
Already, women makeup about 85% of all consumers
purchases and influence over 95% of all consumer goods and
services purchased. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
In
our silent observation, we noticed that Indians make up between
one-quarter and one fifth of the Software Manpower capacity at
the Silicon Valley – a direct reflection of their strategic IT
Body-shopping escapades in two decades. Half of them originate
from the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Currently,
they are busy, consciously converting their brain drain into
brain gain. In order words, they are repatriating their
knowledge and profits home. This is noticed in the State of
Andhra Pradesh, which is fast emerging as India’s new Silicon
Valley housing many IT parks. Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra
Pradesh, has become a robust symbol of Indian IT industry. A 15
billion rupee ($350 million) Hi-tech city is near completion
while another project, Knowledge Park, which will house
biotechnology, pharmaceutical and allied industries is also in
progress. Nigerians are few in the Silicon Valley, compared with
the Indians, but they are holding their own amidst zero back-up
by their home government! A critical observation and major trend
in countries’ diplomatic strategies, is that enlightened
nations have carefully positioned their Consulate General
Office in and around the Silicon Valley – call it the
Silicon High-tech observatory or the Silicon Watch. They are
there for a purpose. Perhaps the main attraction is informed by
relevant studies, which indicate that the Silicon Valley will
remain a potential high-growth area in the High-Tech sector in
the next 25 years. These smart nations will earn immense benefit
in the very near future.
PERSECOND BILLING AS
MAN OF THE YEAR:
by
Fola Odufuwa
“Visions of the future come from
a place where the path is determined by who’s in front”
- Motorola Advert
Without equivocation, the Man of the Year award for 2003
should go to PSB! PSB, or Per Second Billing, is the single
most significant innovation in Nigeria this year. It has
unveiled Per Minute Billing (PMB) as the biggest fraud
perpetrated by the telecoms
industry on subscribers. It has clearly shown that billing in
minutes historically carried out by the National Carrier since
1960, and private companies since 1997, was concealed rape and
an implicit swindle of millions of users.
PSB is value for money, simple. You pay for network resource
that you use and no more. We speak in seconds, why were we
forced to pay in minutes? PSB was a clever market entry
strategy by a new mobile operator in August 2003. That
operator dared the crowd, and risked chastisement by co-travellers
in the per minute racket. PSB is an innovative billing
application arising out of one operator’s ability to sense
the unmistakably strident clamour by GSM users who apparently
were being deprived of their nairas in bulk fashion. This
clamour turned into a massive howl with what appears to be the
world’s first GSM network boycott by users in September
2003. Arguments abound on the purposefulness and effectiveness
of that action still.
However, while that operator, Globacom, may bask in the credit
that PSB is giving, the truth is that this new mode of billing
actually came out of aggregated consumer desires in this
respect. The imminence of PSB was so obvious that operator
propaganda given as reasons why its initiation could not be
done earlier was futile and fouled the market space in the
process.
The consumer just wanted value for money in the light of
network quality issues, dropped calls, limited network access,
etc. With PSB, the consumer seemed to have a choice of payment
that ensured that personal losses for inability to effectively
use a GSM network can be reduced to small sums. PSB is so
popular in Nigeria that there is no doubt that it is the
biggest thing to have
happened to telecoms this year. For instance, one operator had
to suspend the migration of users to PSB from per minute
billing after just 10 days of application launch due to the
immense popularity of the service. Nearly 75% of that
company’s subscribers made the switch to PSB in less than
240 hours! Indeed PMB’s death-knell has already been
sounded, never mind strenuous attempts to keep it alive.
PSB is apparently making the
mobile telephone subscriber gain value for money. It is
engendering a fresh wave of competition. Today, nearly all the
operators have commenced the vital switch to PSB. It is indeed
proof that competition and market liberalization always works
in favour of a country’s inhabitants. Arguments to the
contrary are self-serving, and typically mounted
by cartels of monopoly that swim in lakes of the consumer’s
sweat. The success of PSB in Nigeria also corroborates the
fact that any application of technology that makes life more
difficult for consumers would fail. Technology ordinarily
should make life easier to live, as PSB is showing. What then
are the Benefits of Innovation? The most important effect of
innovative competition by telecoms operators in Nigeria in
2003 is the spectacle of falling prices, whether they be of
equipment, lines, or tariffs. For instance, Internet usage at
public access locations has dropped by up to 46% between 2002
and 2003. The cost of purchasing a fixed telephone line from
private companies has similarly fallen by 42%.
Mobile tariffs have plummeted by 28% on average, while
international telephone calls can now be made at a third of
last year’s costs. That prices are crashing today is an
irony. The paradox is this: consumer prices are falling while
the value of the naira is rising against international
currencies. The naira has fallen by 32% against the dollar
since December 2002.
Think of this again. All the capital expenditure components of
a telecoms operation in Nigeria are dollar-denominated. No
telecoms equipment is manufactured locally. Yet the operators
are lowering prices for services while the dollar is firming
up against the naira.
The main reason for the lowering of prices by operators is the
reality of aggressive internal competition within the telecoms
market. There are, as at December 2003, a total of 26 fixed
and mobile operators and 93 Internet/VSAT service providers,
all competing
amongst themselves. The pressure of growing competition is
leading to a reduction of unrealistic margins gained from
inadequate supply, in the face of over-abundant demand.
Evidence of potential demand comes from a recent eShekels
market survey indicating that the current level of telephone
penetration is 2.79% of the population. Meaning: 97% of
Nigerians do not own a telephone!
The reality of reduced prices thus implies that there indeed
is a great potential for greater patronage and increased usage
as services would now be available at relatively more
affordable levels.
In simple words, the operator offers lower prices, the
consumer gets to talk more, and more people get to be able to
buy into the network. The consumer wins; the operator also
wins – though at a cost. Reduced prices would put pressure
on the operator’s switches and overload networkprocessors.
This implies greater demands on equipment maintenance and
operational
expenditures. But with more consumers to pay for these extra
costs, the effort may indeed yield more network gain. So What
Lessons Can PSB Teach? That this market needs a bull - not an
elephant! An operator that would with precision locate the
desires of consumers and rush with earnest power to satisfy
them. The trophies that PSB brings are only for those
businesses that seek to destroy myths and traditions via
compelling innovations and service applications. Companies
that are able to dynamically move their businesses out of
grooves of ease and out instantly into the plains of the
hearts of the consumer. Companies that are mobile in per
second fashion. These may be recipients of next year’s
award!
CYBERSCHUULNEWS 031203-128
1. EVENTS!
NiPRO
COMES TO NIGERIA JANUARY 2, 2004
“NEW YEAR, NEW NETWORK,
NEW OPPORTUNITIES”
NiPRO,
NIGERIAN PROFESSIONALS INC. a US-based international organizers
of Business and Social Networking events for young Nigerian
professionals recently announced the coming of the first NiPRO
convention to Nigeria on January 2nd 2004.
NIPRO's Senior Vice President, Kamil Olufowobi says some 300
senior/graduate students, young upcoming professionals and top
level executives, under age 40, at home and from overseas are
expected to attend the networking event.
For the first time in history, NiPRO will create a forum to
facilitate networking and the exchange of ideas between young
Nigerians towards a common goal of a prosperous Nigeria through
the synergies of Local and Foreign expertise .
Date Friday, January 2, 2004
Time From 6.00pm
Venue VINTAGE Restaurant & Gardens, 138
Musa Yar Adua St, Off Idowu Martins St. Victoria Island, Lagos.
For more info., please visit www.niproinc.com
2. INTERNATIONAL
TRAINING WORKSHOP!!
MANAGED-LEARNING-ENVIRONMENT,
MLE,
DEBUTS
IN NIGERIA
An effort at managing integrated learning system as a support
Environment for effective teaching and Distance Learning
Programmes is being planned for mid-February, 2004 in
Nigeria. The workshop aims at addressing the strategic issues
faced by 'digital Divide' in implementing
Managed-Learning-Environments which include System Designs,
Institutional learning supports, corresponding targets and
managing Change.
Chances are that several institutions and professional
associations, UNESCO, NCS, NITPA, NUC, CYBERSCHUUL, USAID, TWB
etc will be collaborating to make it a reality.
For more information please contact matthew.ivongbe@ntlworld.com
3. E-WEEK
2003!!!
E-WEEK
2003 SHIFTS
Indications are that E-week 2003 might have been suspended in
deference to its clash with CHOGM 2003.
For more information Anayo.Agu@mail.doc.go
4. NEWS!!!!
PRESIDENT
FOR 2006/2007 EMERGES
FOR
NIGERIAN SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS
Engr. Emeka Muoma Ezeh has emerged unopposed for the position
of Deputy President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers which
will elect a new Executive Council next week in Ibadan. A Deputy
President is President-In-Waiting under the NSE constitution and
Engr Eze's victory without lifting a finger is unprecedented.
More than 3,000 engineers are expected to gather in Ibadan from
December 8 till December 12 for this year's Annual Conference
and General meeting of the Association.
5. CHALLENGE
OF CONSTRUCTING THE NIGERIAN ICT HIGHWAY!!!!!
NIGERIA
COMPUTER SOCIETY RAISES ICT STAKES VERY HIGH
Front line members of The Nigeria Computer Society, NCS,
recently conducted a rare and unique tour of Silicon valley, San
Jose USA. Before the trip, the pointman of the initiative and
Chairman of Events and Trade Services of The NCS, Mr Chris Uwaje,
was at The CYBERSCHUUL where he muted the idea of making a big
foray into the thought of the guys who make Silicon Valley tick.
On his return from the five-day tour, Chris did a report which
he calls IT ROAD MAP.In this edition Chris looks at way to
putting Nigeria on the global ICT Map.
IT ROADMAP [2]
by
CHRIS UWAJE
Why is Nigeria missing in the global Information Technology
Map? As you read on, the answers to this very innocent question
will become so visible and intellectually challenging. Learning
Right Technologies of San Jose, USA, and Nigerian
Computer Society (NCS) jointly organized the First Silicon
Valley Strategic Alliance Networking Forum for Nigerian
Delegates. The central objective of the forum was to register
and promote Nigeria’s IT Vision and Mission on the global IT
arena – with particular reference to the Silicon Valley. Above
all, it aimed to enhance our IT Entrepreneurship skills and
strategies.
The venue of the 5-Day IT
Boot Camp and knowledge Incubation Executive Training program
was set at the very heart of the Silicon Valley – SAN JOSE,
State of California - and strategically housed at Cisco
Systems Entrepreneur Centre (CSEC) and International Business
Incubator (IBI). The
training seminar sessions were well packed with solutions-based
content and backed-up with practical facility tours, which took
delegates to the Headquarters of Cisco Systems, located on Cisco
Way at Baypointe and made-up of 55 separate buildings; Canter
Clara County Computer Centre; International Incubators, Software
Development Forum (SDF); SBC Communications Inc.
(Telecommunications/Internet Facilities); and Integrity
E-Learning Centre.
The SBA-Cisco Systems
Entrepreneur Centre is a private sector driven institution, made
possible by a unique partnership between US Small Business
Administration, the City of San Jose, Cisco Systems and a number
of other private and non-profit sector partners. The mission of
the centre is to provide entrepreneurs with a full-range of
support services, including Financing Programs - Micro loans,
conventional financing and Venture Capital; Management
Assistance by experts for mentoring established business;
Training in all aspects of Small Scale business management,
Technology knowledge incubation and management assistance for IT
infrastructure projects to help business grow. They also provide procurement assistance and International
Trade Consulting.
The Centre is sub-divided
into core activity areas such as: Cisco Internet Development
Centre (CIDC), which is a significant component of the strategic
Entrepreneur Information development process. It is an
informative and innovative area where entrepreneurs can access
all of the resources needed to succeed in today’s new economy.
Also, the Technology Advisory Program is an unbiased management
consulting practice specializing in improving business
operations by providing complimentary technology consulting
services for small business. The model is knowledge-based
and delivers such courses as: The Internet Economy;
Understanding the Basics of Internet, E-Business, E-Commerce;
Marketing on the Web; Building effective Business and Technology
Plan; Dynamics of Business Franchise Marketing; Contract
Negotiation and Understanding Trade Marks and Product patenting.
The 5-Day program for this
First Silicon Valley Strategic Alliance Networking Forum for
Nigerian Delegates, was co-sponsored by the Black Chamber of
Silicon Valley; SBDC Silicon Valley Small Business; Centre for
International Trade Development; and International Business
Incubators. It was structured and modeled as a Hi-Tech
Entrepreneur Readiness Boot Camp – incorporating:
Globalisation &
International Trade Overview; Exploring your Business Funding
Horizon for Grants, Loans, and Venture Capital; Business Plan
Development and Proposal Writing; Software Engineering Process
Tools – A look at Product life Cycle; Corporate Communication
Skills; E-Commerce & E-Business Overview; Marketing –
effective ways of presenting your products and services;
Accountability and Transparency – Corporate Auditing;
Intellectual Property Rights; How to Patent/Copyright Materials;
Alternative Solutions to Infrastructure Problems; Disaster
Preparedness: Data Back-up, Storage and Recovery; B2B
Relationships: A look at Contract Negotiation; E-Learning: A
Practical Approach to knowledge Transfer; Presentations on
Business Opportunities in Nigeria, Presentations By Cisco
Systems Inc. on Internet Economy and Networking for 21st
Century Communications and Business Process – the Convergence
Networking. Finally, delegates were taken on facility tours to
the HQ of Cisco Systems Inc. International Business Incubators;
Software Development Forum (SDF); SBC Communications Inc., Santa
Clara County Computer Centre. Delegates also experienced
elaborate socials through networking mixer with the Black
Chamber of commerce; Business Community of San Jose, Costa Rica
and Hispanic Chamber of greater San Jose.
[In the next edition, Uwaje explains Wh Nigeria is missing in
the global Information Technology Map]
6. BOOK
LAUNCH TO CELEBRATE IFE AKINTUNDE AT 70!!!!!!
Engr. Ife Akintunde, FNSE, Past President of
The Nigerian Society of Engineers and past Vice
President, World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO),
is 70 years old. In his honour, The Nigerian Society of
Engineers has announced a book presentation on the
“Nigerian Construction Industry past, present, problems and
prospects” on Sunday, December 7, 2003. Venue: Penton
Rise, Old Bodija Roundabout, Ibadan. There will also be a
Thanksgiving Service at All saints Church, Bodija at 1.00pm same
day.
7. NOW
AVAILABLE IN CD'S AND ON-LINE!!!!!!!
Lecture notes used for Class works on [1]Basic
Telecommunications Training and [2] Enhanced
Induction Training for Telecom Engineers at THE
EXECUTIVE CYBERSCHUUL are now available in Hard Copies [for
N10,000.00] and in CD's [for N5,000.00] and
ON-LINE [ for N5,000.00] per course. Pay by any means
convenient [cash, cheque, card, phonecredit, etc] to THE
EXECUTIVE CYBERSCHUUL. [Tel: 01 497 1004; 0802 322 4572]; Email tec@cyberschuul.com
For details of course content, additional benefits, and
employment prospects in telecommunications industry,
please visit our website www.cyberschuul.com
.
8. CYBERSCHUUL
ALUMNI SPEAK !!!!!
THE
EXECUTIVE CYBERSCHUUL,
LAGOS
ENHANCED
INDUCTION TRAINING
FOR
TELECOMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERS
Nov 17 – Nov 28, 2003
9 Participants[8
gave assessment][Alumni Nos 669 - 677]
1. At
the end of this training, I can say that all things considered
Ø
The training has been
excellent
4/8
Ø
The training has been
worthwhile, somehow
4/8
Ø
The training has merely
repeated the old stories
0/8
Ø
The training has
been a waste of time
0/8
2. I
assess the training environment as
Ø
Excellent
1/8
Ø
Very Good
7/8
Ø
Just Fair
0/8
Ø
Poor
0/8
3. I
assess the resource consultants
Ø Very
Good
6/8
Ø
Generally OK
2/8
Ø Too
theoretical for this kind of program
0/8
Ø
Very Poor
0/8
4. Specifically
I rate the following matters as follows
Excellent
Very Good
Just fair
Poor
Ø
The Entire Training Package
2/8
6/8
Ø
The Content and Emphasis
8/8
Ø
The Notes & Handouts
1/8
7/8
Ø
The Facilitation
8/8
Ø
The Food
2/8
6/8
5.
As for duration of the
course
Ø
The duration is just right
3/8
Ø It
is taken too long
0/8
Ø It
has been too short
5/8
Ø I
have no opinion
0/8
6. By
and large, at the end of the training
Ø I
am no longer the same, ie. It has improved me considerably
8/8
Ø Good
alright but somehow I gained only a little
0/8
Ø
I did not really get much
from it
0/8
7. If
I am invited to another Program of THE EXECUTIVE CYBERSCHUUL
Ø
I will attend
8/8
Ø I
will not attend
0/8
Ø
I am not sure
0/8
All
trainees passed the qualifying Examination.
9. HELLO
SANTA KLAUS!!!!!!!!!
PER SECOND BILLING NOW THE VOGUE
AS MORE LINES EMERGE
If feelers from service providers are anything to go by, the
month of December 2003 may witness an influx of more than
500,000 GSM phone lines in Nigeria. Such individual 'good'
performance may not translate to better services, however. If
anything, chances are that they bring pressure on the fledging
nationwide transmission paths which may still be begging for
attention.
Meanwhile, the bag of tricks is wide open and everybody is
playing its own joker. GSM Providers have been compelled to
commence a per-second billing and latest indication is that
compliance is total. An attempt by the regulator, demonstrably
listening and responsive, to make phone users regard
quality of service rather than the operating tariff as the
issue, appeared roundly rejected by Nigerians. Time will
certainly tell. A provider beat the gun in announcing compliance
while another grudgingly complied. The third is busy
strategizing while the fourth is improving its service on radio
and TV.
back page
Economic Adviser: 'Devaluation
of The Naira is deliberate'
Minister :' Devaluation of The Naira is normal'
President:' No , it is not deliberate, if a minister says that, he is
not right'
CYBERSCHUULNEWS
271103-127
The greatest things in the world are
available for sharing. Share this with your friend.
1.
BOOK ON INTERNET LAUNCHED IN LAGOS!
AVAILABLE FOR N300.00 ONLY
One
does not know what knowledge he lacks until he starts reading a
book. Mr. Ajayi Olumide Joseph who presented a 152-page book
titled 'THE INTERNET SIMPLIFIED' to a Lagos
audience last month opened a new fountain of knowledge on
Internet Applications for all classes of internet users
ranging from beginners to savvies. It is amazing how a
mechanical engineer who claims an ordinary 'flair' for
information technology has used simple, almost
'Nigerian-English' language to teach anybody who is literate to
do virtually all possible things on The Internet. In 10 quick
chapters, the book covers subjects ranging from history of The
Internet through user requirements to doing big business on the
web. It offers some of the best explanations on how to 'Search
Accurately', 'Chat using Yahoo Messenger', 'send email to
GSM' and 'do business' using The Internet. And several
others.
Mr. Ajayi's effort is a success story and the minimum we can
do at CYBERSCHUUL to help him achieve his expressed 'zeal
to eradicate computer and Internet illiteracy in his generation'
is to make the book available at our Institute for passers by to
stroll into our front office, pay N300 only, and pick a copy.
Come to think of it, if ROTARY CLUBS, LIONS CLUBS,
YOUTH CLUBS, all CHERUBIM CLUBS and SERAPHIM CLUBS of
our time approach Mr. Ajayi [ his e-mail address is ajmide2002@yahoo.com ]
to procure several copies of this book and distribute to
Nigerians in their communities, we would have taken the first
step to banishing poverty and ignorance in our land. The road
to salvaging Nigeria may not, after all, be that leading to Aso
Rock but found inside books.
Mr. Ajayi has thrown a challenge to all of us, especially NITDA.
2. CONFERENCE
AND TRAINING!!
ICT CONFERENCE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AT UNIJOS
The
University of Jos is collaborating with the Widernet Project to
host the Third Annual Nigerian National Conference on ICT in
Higher Education at the University of Jos on December 11th and
12th.
Prior to the conference, there will be a LEARN-FAST,
LEARN-CHEAP tutorial for 2 days [December 9 and 10 ] to
cover three hands-on training sessions on "Wireless
Networking," ; "Designing Databases for the World
Wide Web,"; and "Computer Repair and
Maintenance."
Cost of Training
N3,000.00
Cost of Conference N5,000.00
For more details, contact:
Mr.
John Alhassan
MIS, University of Jos
LOC Chairperson
Email: alhassaj@unijos.edu.ng
Mobile:
080 3 7011359
Ebele
Anionwu (Mrs.)
Linkages Office, University of Jos
Bauchi Road Senior Staff Quarters
Email: anionwue@unijos.edu.ng
Mobile:
080 3 7183985
3. ACCRA
HOSTS INTERNATIONAL ICT FORUM
AT GHANA'S INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY!!!
The 3rd International Conference on ICT and
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