By a Correspondent, Arusha
Higher learning institutions in the country have been urged to link some
aspects of ethical and moral values in their policies regarding Information and
Communication Technologies (ICT) if they want to reap full benefits.
The advice has been given by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic
Affairs, ST. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Fr. Dr. Thadeus Mkamwa
during the fourth higher education forum ended in Arusha town recently.
“If we have any ICT policies in
universities we should be able to put some aspects of ethical and moral values that
we want them be appalled otherwise we can be driven out by the good aspects of
ICT not knowing that though it has some solutions but still it can rob us of
the values that we actually uphold to our university students,” he explained.
Dr. Mkamwa said his concern is if universities will not be careful in integrating
ICT with good governance, their negative aspects may rob freedom and values
especially now as academic institutions are facing new challenges.
“We have new types of students who use smart phones, Ipads and they are
surrounded with issues which are ICT based…if we are not careful then we cannot
manage them in the sense of giving them better university pedagogy like making
sure that we follow and give them some guidelines on what we want them to do,
what we want them to be and what we want them to know,” he said.
In this regard, Dr. Mkamwa said if universities do not link ethical
values and if they do not look at aspects that help understand how ICT is good,
they may lose the track because despite the good aspects of ICT there are lot
of challenges whereby most of students and family members now days do not want
to listen, but to play with gadgets they get from ICT.
He said SAUT courses and programmes include social ethics and other
aspects of ethical values that can help students understand the good and bad
sides of ICT.
“Our curriculum is integrated which improves on what students can know
as professionals and as persons. We are
training a person and we are training a profession,” he noted.
Earlier, presenting a paper on the role of ICTs in university governance
in Tanzania, Prof. Beda Mutagahywa from the University of Dar es Salaam said
the integration of ICT in education is inevitable as it will cater for
increasing demand for higher education, the need for online learning and
lifelong learning.
“ICT trend is towards mobile technology, virtual world,
social networking, cloud computing and other aspects,” he said, adding that
higher learning institutions should integrate these technologies into their
programs and strategies.
He said higher learning institutions should clearly
identify specific roles for ICTs to enhance research capacity and provide for
adequate infrastructure and capacity building.
He said ICT is a strategic resource for those academic
institutions and as such ICT governance should be prioritised and made part of
the Institutional governance.
The main theme for the forum that was prepared by the Committee of Vice
Chancellors and Principals, Tanzania (CVCPT) in collaboration with Trust Africa
was Good
Governance for sustainable quality University Education in Tanzania.
CVCPT was established under section 53 of the Universities Act, No.7 of
2005.
Members of CVCPT include Vice Chancellors, Principals and Provosts of
all public and private Universities and University Colleges and the Executive
Secretary of the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU).
Ends
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