e.Oman
Society Capacity Building
Initiatives
Presented by:
Hassan Al-Lawati
Team Leader – Projects
Information Technology Authority
Sultanate of Oman
May, 2013
Sultanate of Oman
•
AREA: 309,500 sq. km.
•
POPULATION: (3.6 m) mid 2012
•
CAPITAL: Muscat
•
LIFE EXPECTANCY ( 2012 ): 75.4
•
POPULATION DENSITY: 11.6
•
The SULTANATE IS DIVIDED INTO 11 MAIN
ADMINISTRATIVE Governorates
•
GDP per capita ( 2011 ) : US $ 21,236
•
GNI per capita ( 2011 ): US $ 20,025
•
CURRENCY: 1 OMR = US $ 2.58
•
TIME DIFFERENCE: GMT + 4 hours
* Source : National Center of Information & Statistics - Oman
His Majesty Vision
•
H.M. Speech: “We have always emphasized the importance of
learning and knowledge and we have always been open to the
adoption of new developments in this field.
Information technology and communications have now
become the main elements that move forward the
development process in this third millennium; therefore, we
have accorded our attention to finding a national strategy to
develop the skills and abilities of citizens in this domain with
the aim of further developing e-government services.
Sultan Qaboos bin Said
Annual Session of the Council
of Oman –Nov 2008
We are closely following the important steps that we have
made in this regard. We call upon all government institutions
to speedily enhance their performance, and to facilitate their
services, by applying digital technology in order to usher the
Sultanate into the constantly evolving spheres for applying
knowledge.”
Information Technology Authority (ITA)
Royal Decree 52/2006 - 31st of May 2006
Vision:
Information Technology Authority (ITA) is a government entity that works with a vision to transform the
Sultanate of Oman into a sustainable Knowledge Society by leveraging Information and Communication
Technologies to enhance government services, enrich businesses and empower individuals.
Mission:
ITA is pioneering the implementation of e.Oman strategy. The e.Oman strategy comprises of a wide range
of initiatives and services that are designed and created to improve the efficiency of government services,
enhance the activities of businesses and empower individuals with skills and knowledge, to meet society’s
needs and expectations and to direct Oman towards becoming a sustainable Knowledge-based Economy.
e.Oman Strategy
5
e.Oman Strategic Pillars
6
Why Enabling Society is Important ??
Fast Moving Technology
Tools, applications, devices, etc.
THE ISSUE:
• Life style gaps.
• eSkills gaps.
• Social exclusion.
• Need for eSkilling nations.
Affordability of People
Different ages, income
level, statuses
Role of ITA in Enabling the Society
ITA – Infrastructure
Projects
ITA – Enabling Society
Projects
 Return-on-Investment 
e.Oman 1st Pillar: Society Capacity Building
To ensure that Omani society competencies with respect to understanding
and utilizing digital technologies are upgraded and enhanced; given that,
citizens are the consumers as well as the producers of digital services.
Society Capacity Building
Initiatives
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Community IT Training Program (CITT).
Specialized IT Training Project (SITT).
Incubation Program for IT SMEs (Sas).
Free Open Source Software Initiative (FOSS).
Gov. IT Training & Certification Program (GITTC)
National PC Initiative (NPC).
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Community IT Training Program
(CITT)
Community IT Training Program
Aim
Deliver digital literacy training to the community (citizens of Oman) through
the use of Community Knowledge Centers established in some high
populated governorates and local various regions to:
• Enable continuous learning among all
segments of society.
• Develop their skills in dealing with
digital technology, and interact with
eServices.
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Community IT Training Program
Community Knowledge Centers (CKCs /W-CKCs)
1.
2.
Community Knowledge Centers (CKC) – 10 CKCs.
Women Community Knowledge Centers (WCKC) – 9 CKCs
Training Curriculum Content
>
>
>
>
>
Basics computer uses.
World Wide Web (Internet).
Production Programs (Word, Excel, Power Point, etc.)
Awareness on benefits of digital life style.
Introduction to eGovernment services.
Community IT Training Program
Women Community Knowledge Centers (WCKCs)
> Same as CKCs but established as special
centers for Omani women to get them
trained in private atmosphere.
> enhancing their skills and level of
performance in the field of information
technology (IT) .
> Qualify them for participating in Oman’s
Digital Society.
Community IT Training Program
Statistics /Achievements
So far trained > 32,000 trainees.
Homemaker are able to:
> Communicate online with the school through
the education Portal on their children
progress.
On the Parenting side are able to:
> Monitor their children in using Internet.
> Participate in Social Media (e.g. Facebook,
tweeter…etc) with her family to know her
children's friends etc.
Disabilities citizens were
also part of this training
On Business aspects are:
> able to start their own business online.
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Community IT Training Program
After training
"Educate a man and you educate an
individual. Educate a woman and you
educate a family."
Agnes Cripps
A Success Stories – Ms. Samira
“Now I can surf websites on women
fashion design; new trends, materials,
colours etc…. clothes, my favourite area
of business”
“ After the training now I can work on
computer programs e.g. Word and Excel.
This has been very helpful to me in my
work”
Samira – Homemaker -WCKC
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Specialized IT Training Program
(SITT)
Specialized IT Training Project
Aim
To targets Omani individuals in the IT field in order to develop them to
higher professional levels (Specialization) to:
• Provide IT training and certification opportunities.
• Increase number of certified IT individuals in different IT
areas.
• Fulfill future critical ICT needs.
• Assists the provision of the local necessary skills required.
Specialized IT Training Project
Statistics
IT Domain
No. of Trainees
Application Security
22
Application/Web Development
334
Database Administration
FOSS End User
Graphic Design
109
80
203
Internet Security
80
Mobile Development
41
Network Administration
142
Network Security
44
Physical Security
25
Security Administration
172
Storage Security
20
IT Management
68
System Administration
Total Trained
652
1,995
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Incubation Program for IT SMEs
(Sas)
Incubation Program
Aim
To encourage, support, and develop the creation of SMEs specialized in ICT field
– by entrepreneurs, graduates, etc.
– to contribute to the provision of new technologies, solutions, and innovative services
– through an implemented entrepreneurship atmosphere - shaped as Sas Center of ITA.
Sas Center:
Environment /work space for
hosting potential entrepreneurs to
turn their innovative IT related
ideas to real projects and business
opportunities on the ground.
“Sas”  Arabic-Omani colloquial refers to ‘a solid foundation’
Incubation Program
Facilities
> Engaging ICT SME’s with potential business opportunities.
> Capacity development programs for entrepreneurs (ex: training
initiatives, mentoring support, etc.).
> To attract foreign and local investment in the ICT sector to act as a
catalyst for job creation.
HRH Prince Charles Visit
to
Sas Center
on
19/March/2013
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Incubation Program
Achievements
> Hosted twelve (12) incubated businesses in the ICT field – till date.
> Owned and managed by (42) young men and women.
> Incubated businesses are specialized in several areas:
>
>
>
>
geographic information systems.
software development.
graphic design and multimedia programs.
film-making.
> provided a series of services in various aspects:
>
>
>
>
physical space
marketing
project management
legal advise, etc.
> Omani entrepreneurs to participated in national\international related
events.
Free Open Source Software
FOSS
Free Open Source Software
Aim
• Raise awareness of free & open source software (FOSS) and its various
applications.
• Encourage research & development, and innovation in FOSS best
practices, development and deployment.
• Provide the technical support /advise required for the development and
deployment of FOSS solutions in the public & private sector.
• Encouraging the public to use FOSS to reduce/eliminate the use of
pirated software.
Free Open Source Software
Achievements
• MOU signed with 4 colleges – implementation support.
• 3 FOSS training LABs.
• > 50 FOSS local awareness workshops.
• Hosted FOSS awareness conference in 2013.
• Held FOSS specialized training courses.
• Facilitate easy accessing to FOSS – free DVDs:
– Contain many software applications.
– More than 36,000 free DVDs.
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Government IT Training &
Certification Program
GITTC
Gov. IT Training & Certification
Aim
To provide internationally recognized digital literacy certification:
• to all civil service employees
• to enable them to provide eServices efficiently and with greater
transparency.
Gov. IT Training & Certification
Benefits /Achievements
Benefits
• Improves the skills and performance of civil servants.
• Empowers civil servants with required ICT knowledge and skills to
enable delivery of public sector e-services
• Equal chance of training for all civil servants.
• Business opportunities for SMEs working in the IT training field.
Achievements
Total Trained
Total Certified
65,514
48,378
National PC Initiative
(NPC)
National PC Initiative
Background
Objectives
“A PC in every home in Oman”
> Increase number of PC users.
> Increase number of Internet users.
> Encourage use of e-Services as part of life
style.
Targeting various segments
1.
2.
3.
Social Welfare Beneficiaries.
Higher Education Students.
School Teachers.
Project Value
Grant worth of 20 Million OMR ≈ (USD 52 million).
National PC Initiative
Impact on Society
S/N.
Achievements
Details
Delivered over 98,000 PCs till date
1.
More than 50%: Households with PCs
Delivered over 72,000 internet modems
2.
3.
More than 70%: Internet Users
Over 6,000 families of Social Welfare Beneficiary trained
on computer literacy training program.
Source: Global IT
Report, World Economic
Forum, 2013
Source:
Telecommunications
Regulatory Authority
Report, 2013
Through local
contracted training
institutes (SMEs)
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Cont. National PC Initiative
Impact on Society
S/N.
Achievements
Details
4.
The Readiness sub-index rank jumped 31 From (87) in 2010 to (56) in 2013 Global IT Reports, WEF
points
5.
Reported increase in % of Households with PC NRI’s sub-index (2013 vs. 2012)
- Global IT Report 2013, WEF
in Oman ( from 45% to 58%)
6.
Additional data usage reported by the internet >9 TB /month - Due to additional new
internet accounts.
service operators
7.
Additional mobile recharge transactions
>59K /month - Due to additional 3G
internet usage
8.
Better price competition among local PC
retailers
Frequent PC market promotional offers
by non-NPC retailers
9.
Better response on government IT Training &
Certification Programs
More ICDL and IC3 certified citizens
(>36K) in 2012 vs. (18K) in 2010
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National PC Initiative
Impact on SMEs/ Industries
S/N.
Business Type
1.
Local Training Institutions
2.
Taxi /Bus Drivers
3.
Sanad Offices
(Gov.-backed - individual projects)
Classification
SMEs
Individual /Sole
Traders
Impact Details
> 30 training institutions contracted
Contracted through training institutes to
provide shuttle transportation service
SMEs
14 offices contracted for NPC retailing
Local SAOC
11 offices contracted for NPC retailing
4.
Post Offices
5.
Computer selling shops
6.
Banks
Local SAOG
15 Bank Muscat branches contracted as
NPC retail points (in 1st year).
7.
Local telecom operators
Local SAOG
>72K new accounts through NPC internet
offers
8.
Major shopping places
Retail Markets
15 major hypermarket outlets contracted
locally through suppliers
SMEs
21 retail shops contracted for NPC
retailing in different regions
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International ICT Reports Oman Ranking
International ICT Reports – Oman Ranking
2011
2012
2013
53
35
29
21
73
36
Government Online Services Index
53
Government Usage
E-Participation Index
74
Source: Global IT Report, World Economic Forum, 2013.
International ICT Reports – Oman Ranking
2011
2012
2013
55
47
40
37
Households w/Personal Computer
55
Individuals Using Internet
42
Affordability
82
Source: Global IT Report, World Economic Forum, 2013.
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Business Opportunities - Oman
Case study /business case to consider Oman as:
• Potential regional outsourcing hub for ICT
SMEs and call centers business.
• Investing platform for PC Manufacturers.
• Electronic devices logistics hub.
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Thank You
hassan.allawati@ita.gov.om | www.ita.gov.om
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