Reports say the initiative aims to facilitate public-private partnerships that will help Member States establish school-based ICT centres. Ki-moon’s endorsement came at the ITU TELECOM WORLD Youth Forum, in the presence of ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun Touré and the Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), Sami Al Basheer.

While ICTs provide unprecedented opportunities to accelerate social and economic development, communities that currently lack access and know-how are being further marginalized, itnewsafrica.com reported.

Many of these communities also face additional barriers to development beyond mere connectivity, which prevent them from participating fully in the Information Society.
Capacity building through training in the use of information and communication technologies and application development is critical.

The UN boss said: “Connected schools can become connected community ICT centres. They can provide a vital link to marginalized and vulnerable groups. They can become an information lifeline for women, indigenous people, persons with disabilities and those living in rural, remote and underserved areas.”

“I urge world leaders to support this effort and take the needed steps to meet the agreed targets of connecting all schools by 2015,” he said.

Through the Connect a School, Connect a Community initiative, ITU will work with a range of partners to identify and compile best practices on policies, regulation, applications, services and practical experiences. These best practices will be shared with Member States through the development of an online toolkit and related capacity-building activities.