Company Name: National Computer Board

Company Type: Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

Company Profile

An ambitious programme for the training of 400 000 Mauritians in ICT over the next four years took off on Monday 4 September in IT labs of some 60 State Secondary Schools across the country. A first batch of 10 000 people from all walks of life including civil servants have registered for the first of a series of training sessions under the Universal ICT Education Programme (UIEP) which leads to the internationally recognized Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC3) certificate. Registration is already on for the next sessions. The National Computer Board (NCB) has been entrusted by Government to spearhead the implementation of the project which is part of government initiatives to accelerate the transformation of the Mauritian nation into an Information Society. The kick off was given at 4.00 p.m at the Dr Maurice Cure State Secondary School- Vacoas by the Minister of Information technology and Telecommunications Etienne Sinatambou in the presence of NCB Chairman and its Executive Director Kemraz Mohee. Etienne Sinatambou expressed satisfaction the UIEP was launched only six months after Prime Minister Dr Navin Ramgoolam announced the project in his message to the nation on Independence Day (12 March) this year. Cabinet agreed to the implementation of the plan on 31 March 2006. The launch of this initiative in such a short span of time, he said demonstrated Government’s determination to forge ahead in its quest to make of ICT the 5th pillar of the economy in order to sustain economic growth despite emerging challenges and erosion of preferences in the wake of globalisation. The IC3 certification benchmark is internationally recognized, and by not less than 1500 education institutions in the US, by UNESCO, UNDP and Microsoft the leader in the industry. The IC3 Certification which was developed by Certiport Incorporation (USA) is the first globally accepted, standards-based, validated certification program for basic computing skills. Becoming IC3 certified infers that one possesses the knowledge required for basic use of computer hardware, software, and the Internet which are nowadays prerequisites for virtually every placement opportunity. The IC3 certificate as a starting milestone in the ICT education roadmap would also represent a stepping stone for more advanced ICT certification for career advancement as well as meeting Government’s objective of increasing the number of persons with specialised IT skills to boost the ICT industry.

About Company

Preamble The National Computer Board (NCB) was set up in 1988 by the National Board Act (Act No.43) to promote the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Mauritius. It is a para-statal body administered by a Board of Directors and operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications. The NCB has recently redefined its strategies to respond more effectively to new national aspirations in view of multi-facetted challenges emerging in the wake of globalization and threatening the very resilience of the country's economy. Its core mission is now to accelerate the transition of Mauritius into a regional ICT hub and ensure the swift realization of government's objective to make of the ICT sector a fifth pillar of the economy. Our Vision To be the key enabler in transforming Mauritius into a Cyber island and the regional ICT hub. Our Mission To e-power people, businesses and the public sector by developing and promoting ICT and ICT related services in Mauritius. Core Values We are committed to quality and excellence We believe in teamwork and partnership We are determined to provide professional services to our stakeholders, customers and partners We aim at continuous improvement We invest in our people Charter Objectives This Charter gives an overview of the services and activities of the different divisions of the NCB. Organisation Chart The organization structure comprises seven divisions Planning Research and Development Business Development and Promotion ICT Culture Promotion ICT Incubator Centre Government Online Centre Administration and Finance Communication The Planning Research and Development division was set up to study the use of ICT in Mauritius, make policy and legal recommendations, analyse the trend in ICT technologies, promote the use of state-of-the-art technologies and carry out R&D in ICT. The Business Development and Promotion Division was put in place to develop an integrated approach for the promotion of Mauritius as a cyber island at regional and international levels in coordination with other public and private organizations of the ICT sector. It has also to assess the competitiveness of the Mauritian ICT industry and make relevant recommendations. The ICT Incubator Centre was set up to promote entrepreneurship development and boost job creation through the provision of logistical and business support to start ups in the ICT sector. The ICT Culture Promotion Division aims at bridging the digital divide in Mauritius and developing an ICT literate nation. The Government Online Centre (GOC) is a centralized data centre which supports e-Government initiatives. Equipped with state-of-the-art ICT Infrastructure, the GOC hosts the Government Web Portal which is one-stop-shop providing comprehensive information on Government Services and enabling online applications on a 24x7 basis. Strategies and Objectives E- Powering people through the promotion of ICT Culture E- Powering businesses by promoting and developing the ICT industry E- Powering the public sector by participating in e-Government initiatives E-Powering People The NCB spreads ICT literacy and creates awareness on applications and uses of ICT and in so doing contributes to build information society capable to drive the national objective of making of ICT a fifth pillar of the Mauritian economy. Activities to create an Information Society include: Promoting ICT literacy for the public Promoting awareness on the benefits of ICT for improving the quality of life Promoting ICT for social development In this context the NCB has launched a Cyber Caravan project to disseminate ICT culture all over the island through its two caravans. IT Empowerment Programmes for Unemployed HSC holders are also organized to enhance their employability. Activities targeting secondary and tertiary level students are organized on a regular basis with a view to promote the usage and opportunities of ICT and instill interest in the new technologies. The NCB has also set up a Resource Centre to provide ICT facilities to researchers, students, professionals and the public at large. It is equipped with PCs, ICT textbooks, reports, magazines, press articles on ICT, education software and offers free Internet access. E-Powering Business The NCB strives to foster the growth of the ICT industry by organising a host of activities focused on: promoting entrepreneurship in ICT through its incubator center; promoting the development of BPOs and ITES; Promoting the export market for ICT industry; Developing indicators to assess the development of the Information Society in Mauritius; Carrying out regular studies to assess the penetration and usage of ICT across the different economic sectors and households; Elaborating measures with regards to information security issues at the national level such as spamming; and Advising Government on policies and legal framework for the ICT sector. The NCB has been operating an ICT Incubator Centre in Port Louis since January 2003. Some 18 startups have benefited from the services of this facility. The NCB now plans to expand its Incubator Centre to accommodate at least 40 startups in the near future. The Incubator Centre also runs regular training programmes for startups operating in and outside its perimeters and for Small and Medium Enterprises with focus on the legal, marketing, accounting, management and production aspects as part of their capacity building process for business enhancement. The Center is located at Jade Court in Port Louis. The Center offers the following facilities Fully wired office space at concessionary rates Guidance towards access to finance Advisory and consultancy services Guidance as to emerging trends and technologies in the ICT sector Marketing of start ups The NCB regularly participates in international fairs such as SeCA (Salon Europ?en des Centres de Contacts et Gestion de la Relation Client) in Paris and the Birmingham Call Centre Expo. The objective is to promote Mauritius as a competing outsourcing destination and provide information to potential outsourcers and investors on developments and achievements in the ICT sector in Mauritius. Infotech has become the most important NCB driven event for ICT stakeholders in the country. The objectives of this event are among others to showcase and spread emerging technologies and offer a meeting platform for local ICT operators to develop collaboration and deals with potential partners and customers. Over 30 000 people usually visit Infotech. E-Powering the Public Sector The NCB provides free hosting facilities and technical assistance for the development of websites and portals of Ministries and Government Departments. These websites are available on the Government Web Portal. The NCB manages the Government Online Centre a key component of the e-Government initiative that is the main infrastructure enabling e-Government and ensuring the provision of secure government online services to citizens, businessmen and government bodies. The GOC also provides Internet access and email facilities to employees of Ministries and Departments, offers web site publishing and hosting services and will host common and back-office applications of Ministries and Departments such as Registry, Stores, Personnel Systems, Labour Market Information System, Environment Information System, Central Population Database amongst others. Activities of the National Computer Board E - Powering Business NCB ICT Incubator Centre Technology Awareness Programme for SMEs Sensitisation Programme on Entrepreneurship Development Entrepreneurship Development Programme for students Infotech Online Database of ICT Operators Online ICT Manpower Database (OIMD) National ICT Portal Mauritius Gateway Project ICT Market Expansion Programme Country Profile on potential export markets ICT Indicators Directory of ICT companies in Mauritius Communication support to investors in ICT Anti-Spamming Programme Information Security Programme National Internet Exchange Point (NIXP) Computer Security Day Advise Government on National policies and legal framework on ICT Assist in the framing of national education, training and research plans in ICT E - Powering People IT Literacy and Awareness Programmes (Cyber Caravans) IT Empowerment Programme for Unemployed HSC Holders (Cyber Caravans) Participate in International events relating to ICT ICT Project Competition for tertiary level students Website Competition for secondary school students ICT Awareness Programmes on Radio and Television Community Empowerment Programme Universal ICT Education Programme ICT Resource Center E - Powering the Public sector Government Online Centre (GOC) e-services to the public Government web portal and Government sub portals Hosting of Websites of Ministries and departments Hosting of Websites of para-statal bodies Design and development of websites Government e-mail service Government to Government System Internet access on the Government Intranet Network Systems Internet access to secondary schools and public libraries Back Office applications for ministries and government departments