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The Malta Independent | Thursday 27 January 2011
ICT Feature
Roderick Spiteri
The Malta Independent ICT Feature At a time where information and communication technologies (ICT) have penetrated every aspect of our life, The Malta Independent and the largest ICT organisation on the island, the Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA), have joined forces to provide a weekly feature about this vast and ever growing topic. This weekly feature intends to promote ICT and its application in new
and innovative ways. In the coming weeks we will also look at the local ICT industry and provide information about foreign players operating from Malta. We will also feature leading and relevant international news. From time to time we will also have exclusive interviews with prominent figures in the field. I therefore welcome you to this first edition of The Malta Independent ICT Feature. In this week’s edition you
can read on how ICT is being applied in education and in public procurement. We are also putting forward an invitation to get a diploma in ICT through the Second Step training programme. I’m also pleased to share for the first time our recent experience with Puttinu Cares and how with the support of a number of companies, we managed to leave a positive and long-lasting effect in the children’s life.
eProcurement explained Clint Mintoff
Clint Mintoff is a Consultant on eGovernment
Joanna Azzopardi
John Deguara
John Deguara is a Programme Manager on Education at MITA
Government entities, like many private sector companies, require the purchase of materials and services to support both regional and national projects and also those for their daily operations. The purchasing department’s goal is to acquire the goods and services at the lowest cost, in the desired quantity and expected quality and at the right time. This ongoing and at times complex function is referred to as public procurement. Most of the processes within this function have traditionally been performed manually, with only limited inclusion of electronic means, thus resulting in labour intensive and time consuming operations, each entailing voluminous amounts of paperwork. Conducting procurement using the latest Internet technologies, makes the process of buying goods and services more efficient and transparent - this is called eProcurement. What is government eProcurement? Simply defined, Government eProcurement is the use of electronic communications and transaction processing by public sector organisations when buying supplies and
services or tendering public works. The various stages of eProcurement include the identification of vendors or suppliers, placing of orders and the delivery of goods. eProcurement helps increase the accessibility, transparency and efficiency of public procurement procedures, strengthens competition for government contracts and decreases the cost involved in traditional purchasing through functionalities such as eNotifications, eTendering, eAuction, eCatalogues, eOrdering, eInvoicing, and ePayments. Most of the paper work is eliminated, hence reducing the cost and time required to process the virtual and physical procurement transaction. eProcurement in Malta In November 2008, the Department of Contracts within the Finance, the Economy and Investment Ministry launched a number of eServices which address tender alerts, preview of tender documents, online purchase of tenders, publication of tenders/clarification notes and tender awards. Usage of these eServices in 2009 was at 11,281 average monthly sessions, while in 2010 this figure increased by 28%.
As a member state of the European Union, Malta is delivering on its commitment to the eEurope Action Plan by taking advantage of its ICT infrastructure to further improve its positive eGovernment environment, including the upgrade of the existing departmental procurement notification portals into a fully-fledged eProcurement Solution which will facilitate the business process for both the government and the private sector. This is being achieved through the acquisition of an eProcurement solution, which is in progress. Implementation of the new eProcurement Solution in all Government entities and other public sector organisations in Malta is planned to commence during the second quarter of 2011. Benefits of eProcurement Improve efficiency Reduction in costs and processing time Online submission of tenders and bids Easy track of all transactions Bidding is easier and open for everyone Increased transparency and fairness
Connecting Puttinu Cares Children who are diagnosed with cancer have to temporarily give up many things while undergoing treatment, including going to school and meeting their friends. Treatment can take from several months to a couple of years. Children need to visit the hospital several times a week and often have to endure long stays at the hospital locally, or abroad. Angele Cuschieri who works for Puttinu Cares explained that “Families and their children face added tension and stress as they have to tackle the problems of their children being isolated from their peers and lacking the necessary education.” Technology nowadays can be a good solution for many things, including
keeping cancer-diagnosed children happy by allowing them to keep in touch with family and friends. Puttinu Cares and MITA realised that it is essential to ensure that the children undergoing treatment are able to keep in touch 24/7 if they need. To equip technologically the Rainbow Ward at Mater Dei where these children are treated, MITA sought the support of various public and private entities including the Infrastructure, Transport and Communications Ministry; Education, Employment and the Family Ministry; Malta Communications Authority; Cisco; Go plc. Jos Vincenti & Co Ltd; ICT Solutions; 2i; Smart Technologies Ltd; and IMS Ltd.
State-of-the-art video-conferencing facilities were installed at the Rainbow Ward, Mater Dei Hospital, as well as at the flats in the United Kingdom where families and children undergoing treatment abroad stay. Thanks to these facilities, children can now speak and see in real time relatives, friends, and healthcare professionals whenever they need to if they are in Malta or the UK. PCs have also been provided for the playroom at the Rainbow Ward. Wireless internet access has also been set up at the ward so that the children can be mobile and remain connected wherever they are in the Ward. An interactive whiteboard has
been set up in the playroom which the children can use for group activities and learning activities that are fun and engaging. A WeDo Construction Set was also provided for the children to build and programme simple LEGO models that are plugged into a PC. A more attractive and interactive website for Puttinu Cares has also been developed - www.puttinucares.org. “The initiatives implemented will ensure that children will be able to communicate online anytime during the day and enjoy the same environment they may have at school or at home. Every child deserves to have the best, and enabling children to remain in close contact with their fami-
lies and friends can make a positive difference in their lives,” said Claudio Grech, Chairman of MITA. Though the initiatives implemented are technology-related, in the end it is really not about the technology, but about the positive impact it leaves in the life of these children who will be able to easily keep in touch with their family and friends. With this interaction children will be less likely to experience behavioural and social problems usually associated with isolation. It is through such projects where the help and support of several companies can be combined together to really leave an impact on the lives of those in need.
ICT in education – One of the great equalisers In the past, developments in various technologies were considered to cater only for the more privileged or technologically minded people. Now, that technology is almost in everyone’s pocket, developments are seen as beneficial for all citizens. The growing number of citizens who consider access to the Internet as a priority within their household has created an opportunity for governments, academia, and the private sector across the world to explore the opportunities which ICT can deliver in the education arena. Such a movement exists also in Malta and in the coming three years Govern-
ment will be investing money, resources and its priorities to education and create a virtual learning platform, or as it is also known, an eLearning Solution. The success of such solutions relies on the take-up of ICT amongst citizens. The latest statistics by Eurostat show that 95% of Maltese households with children have access to the internet. Such coverage means that locally we have a ubiquitous tool which can be used to enhance our children’s education experience. It also means that cutting edge development in ICT can truly be available and cater for all.
The planned eLearning solution will allow parents, teachers and children with access to one single port of call from any place and any time. eLearning will provide facilities for direct communication between all parties – teachers can communicate with their colleagues, students and parents; parents will be able to communicate with the children’s teachers; whilst students will be able to communicate with fellow students and their teachers. In the coming years, we will also witness the introduction of interactive whiteboards in classrooms. It is not a coincidence that the EU has
now included eLearning in its Digital Agenda for Europe. eLearning deployment with nation-wide coverage such as the one planned for Malta is still considered relatively rare, and such forward thinking will reap rewards. If we take into account children’s wonderful lack of ‘conditioning’, we can be confident that providing access and opportunity will bring significant and speedy rewards. Through eLearning, access (and exposure) to various technologies and the internet will begin to offset the realities of a multi-speed society and of
digital divide. As always, there is more to do. The 5% of households with children without internet access should be given support and alternative options should be explored. Parents, lacking the exposure or confidence to fully immerse themselves in this exciting technology, need to be coached and encouraged. Notwithstanding, ICT is becoming a cost effective method of ensuing that all citizens, irrespective of background, have access to its advantages. In other words, ICT can be seen as an equaliser, providing access and the opportunity to develop for all.
Nadine Gatt
It’s not too late for a diploma in ICT The Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA) has launched a second call of applications for the Second Step training programme. Second Step is a training programme that leads successful applicants to an ICT vocational education and training Diploma. Upon successful completion, candidates will achieve a BTEC National Diploma for IT Practitioners that is nationally and internationally recognised. The programme is part-financed by the European Union through the European Social Fund. Second Step offers three specialisa-
tions and applicants are asked to choose one from: Diploma in Information Systems; Diploma in Information Technology and; Diploma in Computing and Information Systems. Students currently doing the Second Step Training Programme are very satisfied with the way the course is progressing and are confident that this course will prove to be that vital step for success in their career progression. The Second Step training programme is available on a full or part-
time basis. The course will start in March 2011 and ends in June 2012, including the summer period. Students have the possibility to cover 40% of the material through an online training system – a system that enables students to study from the comfort of their home. For further information, course content, entry requirements and to apply online, visit www.mita.gov.mt. Applications are open until tomorrow Friday 28 January. Placements are limited and subject to pre-defined selection criteria.