BuaNews (Tshwane)
Nthambeleni Gabara
16 June 2008
Pretoria — Communications Minister, Dr Ivy-Matsepe-Casaburri has urged the youth to take responsibility for the future of the country.
"Today we celebrate the responsible youth of our country in memory of what the youth of 1976 did for our struggle," said the minister in her Youth Day message.
Ms Matsepe-Casaburri further urged young South Africans to vigorously participate in the information society.
The department has embarked on various programmes aimed at ensuring young people have access to and use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT's) for socio-economic development.
Presently, a total of 420 young people have been trained on free open source software skills.
This culminated in the establishment of 46 youth owned e-cooperative enterprises that are currently playing a central role in the development of municipalities' websites.
A further 1000 young people have been identified through districts municipalities to undergo training on free open source software from 22 June.
Through the National Youth Service Programme, the department's e-Cadre Programme aims to train 5000 young people.
After the training, the youth will be deployed to post offices, clinics, police stations, schools, and municipalities to act as facilitators of their respective communities in accessing government services through the use of ICT's.
Through community radio support programme, the department enhances the employability and entrepreneurship of young people.
There are 160 community radio stations in the country. Through Further Education and Training Colleges, 200 students were trained in hardware and software.
A total of 36 educators were trained in networking kkills and a further 36 were trained in electronics. Around 21 colleges were assisted with broadband internet connectivity.
In January, next year, the department will recruit 2000 unemployed grade 12 students to receive training in ICT's courses.
"All these will assist FET Colleges to become ICT Centres of Excellence," she said.
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