Good tools without basic skills is useless

When computers started  becoming the thing for the day, I happen to have one, it wasn't the best but it was mine and it was a 486 machine, for those who don't know, it the machine that came before the Pentium one and that is what grew my interest and knowledge in computers. I didn't have a mouse then so I learnt it the hard way by using the keys and that is what helped to sustain my interest till today.

At one point all I had on the my PC was a media player aside the OS windows 98. It was a big thing then, if I wanted to type I had to use notepad but mostly I watched movies and play music, not until i got hold of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing  that I did some productive with my PC.

I once went  to Ministry of Education, the primary section and in there were three PC's only one was working and it was used for typing official letters, so if you needed an urgent letter you had to wait for you turn. This is a typical scene in almost all the civil service offices, the computers have been reduce to a mere typing machine.

There is the perception that the computer can solve all our problems, yes, it can but  mind you computers are tools and if you don't develop a skill in using the tool you won't gain much from it, it will remain an expensive tool. So if the government think by putting computers on every table in its offices without the required training and right software this will bring about massive improvement and efficiency in it operation, then its just wasting money.I believe it termed causing financial lose to the state.

Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC)some years ago contracted a firm to install and train it design department in the use of Photoshop. From what I was told, the attendants were mainly youth who were on their nationals service duty, with a couple of those service personnel that has been retain from previous years. What struck me most was the fact that after that intensive training they let the service personals go with all the knowledge, what a waste if you asked me. But this is no news as this is very common in the Civil Service. Guess you now understand why no matter how modern GBC's equipments are it will never beat the other TV stations in terms of quality and appeal. 

For the nation to move toward in its ICT drive, there should be a conscious effort to bridge the gab between the old who are on the job and that of those who are joining. There should be a "No one be left out' policy, hence there is no excuse, no "I can't I am too old to learn". It either you learn or you get out because we don't have time to waste, the country needs to move on.

As we talk about getting the right skills for using the tool  we must also be mindful that those tools should be if possible an indigenous one. It should be a tool that people can identify with, things that are made locally and not something they feel only those with high IQ can use. Having said that, we should also be careful not to be caught in the aura of mediocrity which we love. Only the best is good for Ghana.


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