The increased need for international communication has contributed to making Information
Technology a substantially important global industry. Over time, this has also increased
the need for modern electronic equipment, software, and a skilled workforce who
have the capability install, operate and maintain communication networks.
Currently there are only two educational institutions in Afghanistan that offer
IT training and coursework, Kabul University and the Islamic University for Science
and Technology (IUST). Kabul University started its department in 1995, and IUST
opened its Department of Computer Science in 2001. Unfortunately, although both
universities offer bachelor degree courses, the curriculum in these universities
is not updated and is not of international standards to meet the requirements of
the country in this era of information.
There is a small, fledgling computer hardware market in Afghanistan at present (2002).
This comprises of a few computer shops in Kabul, Herat, Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif,
with a total turnover estimated at US$800,000. Hardware currently sold in these
shops includes:
-
Desktop computers
-
Printers
-
Scanners
-
Uninterrupted power supply units
-
Networking equipment (hubs and switches)
Further illustrating Afghanistan's urgent need for a trained IT workforce is the
current development and upcoming release of ISO's compatible with Pashto and Dari
character set registrations. Currently, only Microsoft's operating system accommodates
the Farsi language - fulfilling the requirements of the Dari language. However,
Dari only accounts for 40% of the Afghan population - as many as 60% are native
Pashto speakers. With the advent of this new software, Afghanistan will be able
to fully participate in the worldwide information technology community, and the
citizens of Afghanistan must be prepared to take full advantage of the opportunity.
More...