Learning never stops!
It is getting even easier when Internet price is falling after a recent slash to 33%. Yes, you wouldn’t believe how the online classrooms are replacing the traditional one. It is a great experience that allows students much more flexibility than traditional learning on campus. It’s a different perception while you are on it. I must thank MIT’s OpenCourseWare to a great deal to catch up things when I started my Master’s in Communication Engineering when I’m turning 40!
But, then – when I wanted to have a kind of homeschooling on the forgotten algebra, let alone on laplace or fourier transform, I couldn’t make time with my job and maintaining a family. Then, thinkwell DVD lessons were real life saver! Haven’t seen that?
Let’s go back where it all started. This month, I’m attending this 3rd online course on Universal Service Policies and Practices. Who wants to spend on flying when you get a quality education ditching that carbon footprint calculator?
I had been hearing about this Universal service policies couple of years from now, but then it seems that we have missed whole lot of things empowering people who actually remained unconnected. The choice of the tagline by ITU “Communication has always been a human need. We believe it is also a human right” underlines the fact that ITU is committed to the principle that telecommunication is not a luxury, but a right.
The exact scope of Universal Service Obligation (USO) might vary from country to country but the essence is to provide basic connectivity to every household/everyone, rich or poor – similar to the government’s obligation on keeping rice price within affordable limit. USO is the obligation placed on designated universal service provider(s), the government with an aim to ensure that basic communication services are accessible to all people in a country. Who pays for that fund? Good question! Let’s say, in India, 5 percent charge on the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) from all telecom operators goes to that fund, which is about Rs 15,000 crore!
It might sound wild, but then – how about providing handsets for free with one year’s top up to all VGF (Vulnerable Group Feeding) card holders? A recent survey reveals an increase of 10 mobile phones per 100 people boosts GDP growth by 0.6%.
I can’t wait to bring that up in greater details – next month! It can change Bangladesh, connecting the unconnected, it is!
Raqueeb Hassan,
Assalamualikum.
I read your writing carefully, every single world of it and believe that it truly possible in Bangladesh. We have a CC background in common and possibly have the area of interest in common as well.
I shall be going deeper about the USO fund and I shall look forward to seeing how it can support us. I had been working on learning management systems and application of the same in Bangladesh. I was trying to figure out a way of proper assessment model with acceptable internet speed in the remote villages to share learning content. There is a need of this educational support and they have interest, but cost was not yet feasible!!!!
My uni students rejected proper use of my LMS. Only 10% used it effectively and I stopped using my site!
Universal service Obligation sounds quite similar to our Corporate Social Responsibility. Would you like to share some points on it? As you are a part of the policy setting and practice person, can you not suggest imposing a contribution similar to India?