The Role Of Ict In National Development

INTRODUCTION
ICT (information and communications technology - or technologies) is considered to be the umbrella term that includes any communication device or application, incorporating: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems etc. , as well as the various services and applications associated with them, such as videoconferencing and distance learning.
A policy is a program of planned activities to achieve a set of objectives. In many countries, national policies are formulated to achieve national development goals. Policies have to be expressed in specific rules or regulations which can be applied to guide and control activities of ICTs on practical basis. Therefore the ICT policy

They ensure that ICT is affordable and accessible and is also able to address issues on ethical and moral conducts, copyright and cyber-crimes. ICT policies offer certain services such as ensuring the development of information infrastructure, low cost of access, information transfer in a nation, proper information planning development, efficiency in the provision of telecommunication network, etc. These policies can add to increasing the development rate in developing countries because they serve as enablers to the development of infrastructure.
DISCUSSION
The Kenyan Government knows that there is an increasing digital rift between the countries that are highly established in the field of information technology and Kenya as well as between rural and urban areas within the country. It is therefore, the objective of the Government to initiate the necessary steps to reduce this gap by using information technology to quickly develop all sectors of the economy.
The Government recognizes information as a resource which must be generated, collected, organized, leveraged, secured and preserved for national

• National ICT Policy helps us to clearly states FSM’s ICT Vision
• It also Helps us navigate towards achieving the Vision
• Maps Goals, Objectives, Strategies to reach Vision
• Provides a principal policy to coordinate and harmonize the ICT direction of all sectors in FSM
• Plan of Action: − Outlines the Activities, Responsibilities, and Measurements for Evaluation and it also gives input back to Policy.
Key Sectors that the ICT policies focuses on are:
1. Education
 Interconnect all secondary schools by 2010
 Interconnect all primary schools by 2015
2. Health- E-health to all health centers
3. Public sector- E-government for all district headquarters
4. Agriculture- Marketing, networking and promotions
Some of the objectives of the ICT policies in Kenya include:
1. Ensuring that IT plays a key role as an empowerment tool, addressing gaps relating to gender, youth, people with special needs, rural and urban and disadvantaged groups, and as a literacy tool for the population and potential