Giving Every Macedonian Student a Gateway to the World
Just a little over three years ago the President of Macedonia left for an official visit to China and returned with a promise and a dream: to increase the number of computers available to school children. Macedonia, a land locked country about the size of the U.S. state of Vermont, has over 400 primary and secondary schools scattered across its mountains, deep basins and valleys. In 2002, it is estimated that less than half of them had working computers.
As of September 2005, labs filled with computers running new Microsoft software are operating in all primary and secondary schools. An army of teachers, 6,000 strong, newly trained in basic IT, are ready to help students get started.
Schools, which two years ago didn’t even have a telephone, now have a link to the entire world. Every lab has broadband internet access via the country’s first nationwide wireless broadband network— a direct result of the complex consortium of many partners that emerged from a seemingly straightforward donation of 2,000 basic computers.
Like many consortia, this one was not born naturally — it evolved.
And like most ambitious dreams, this one did not “just happen” — it depended on visionaries and creative thinkers to make it a reality.
The public-private consortium includes the Government of Macedonia (GoM), its Ministry of Education and Science (MoES), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and Microsoft.
The First Donation
During the official visit of the late President of Macedonia Boris Trajkovski to the PRC in May 2002, the Government of the PRC offered a grant to the GoM. Trajkovski, a champion of youth and a strong believer in the need for children to learn 21st century IT skills, advocated that a large portion of the grant be used to purchase computers for schools. Later that year, Trajkovski made a pitch for USAID to introduce Internet in all schools.
Both the PRC and USAID responded positively. The first donation from the PRC of 2,000 computers, plus some peripherals and spare parts, was received in the summer of 2003. MoES distributed the computers to the schools. USAID’s E-Schools project installed wired computer labs in all 100 secondary schools and provided training to secondary schools teachers in integrating IT into education.
The Second Wave
One month before his tragic death in February 2003, Trajkovski asked the GoM to use remaining grant funds from the PRC to purchase more computers for primary schools. The GoM and the PRC agreed; in the spring of 2005, a shipment of 3,300 computers and 300 printers arrived in Macedonia.
The MoES distributed these computers to 360 primary schools throughout the country during summer 2005. USAID again supported the donation through its E-Schools project, this time linking computers in primary schools via wireless LANs to allow more flexibility for teachers.
Software Packages
The first 2,000 computer donation included an operating system but not educational software. Open source software was installed for basic word processing etc. Meanwhile, the GoM negotiated with Microsoft, resulting in a donation of over 6,000 licenses for a package of software which includes the XP Operating System, Microsoft Office, Frontpage, and Encarta. Microsoft also donated Microsoft Server.
Software licenses arrived in early summer 2005; Microsoft software was installed in primary schools by USAID as labs were created.
The Cost of Accessing the World
The regulatory environment in Macedonia proved to be one of the project’s biggest challenges. At the start of the initiative few internet service providers were operating, all buying access from Macedonia Telecom (MakTel). The monthly cost for a dial-up 56k line using a private ISP and MakTel averaged over €150 based on 12 hours usage per day. The prospects for increasing Internet access were bleak.
The high cost of access, combined with the poor quality of communications services, and limited, costly access to broadband impeded economic growth and hindered development efforts. Macedonia’s household internet penetration rate (quoted at 4% in 2003) lagged behind that of its neighbors in Southeast Europe.
The consequences for Macedonia’s schools were evident; only a small percentage could afford to provide internet access to students and teachers. Although MakTel had provided a discounted school package for its ADSL service in larger areas, schools in smaller, rural areas only had access via costly dialup options.
The End of a Monopoly Brings The Beginning of a New Era
On December 31, 2004, legislation came into effect which ended MakTel’s monopoly. Earlier in 2004, as part of the Administrator’s Last Mile Initiative, USAID/Macedonia launched the Macedonia Connects project, not only to help schools, but to make broadband Internet access readily available and affordable throughout the country and facilitate its use by all sectors of society.
Macedonia Connects issued a request for bids in December 2004 to select the ISP which would not only provide broadband internet to the schools but also develop and market services nationally to non-school internet customers. MakTel was excluded as a prime bidder due to its government ownership but was allowed to be a subcontractor to an ISP for the purposes of bidding.
The ISP On.Net, was selected in April 2005 because its proposal represented best value. To reach the schools, and insure that rural markets would have broadband access, On.Net completed installation of a nation wide wireless backbone in August 2005. The backbone provides 155MB x 2 access via a connection to Serbia and will substantially increase availability and bandwidth in Macedonia.
Who Gets What?
After a review of the budget—and consultations with MoES and other stakeholders such as the Macedonian Academic and Research Network (MARNET), which provides high-speed internet to Macedonia’s universities and academic community—USAID’s Macedonia Connects project decided to provide free broadband access to 460 primary and secondary schools and 71 other sites from September 2005 through September 2007.
Of the 71 additional sites, 50 are directly related to education, including dormitories for secondary school students, faculties at universities not currently supported by other programs and the offices of the Bureau for Development of Education, which sets the curriculum for all subjects in primary and secondary education. Twenty two sites were chosen through a competitive grant process; most are NGOs which support education, economic growth, or democracy and governance. The final site, a residential facility for the physically and mentally handicapped, hopes to use computers and internet to help de-institutionalize its residents.
Lessons Learned
Partnerships can work. Donations cost money. Timing is important. Having the right regulatory environment is critical for internet growth. Basics— such as security, insurance and maintenance matter. If possible, think globally. And finally, the real work is just beginning.
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| USAID’s Macedonia Connects project equips classrooms with technology for worldwide access |
Partnerships Can Work
This project is a good example of how something that started out rather serendipitously worked in the end. Partnerships can slow down the process, but the benefits outweigh the inconveniences.
Donations Cost Money
In order for the schools to utilize the generous donations of computers and software from the PRC and Microsoft effectively, much work had to be done to distribute the computers, install them, and train IT and other teachers how to use them. USAID’s project costs alone are estimated at $1.3 million for installing the 5,300 computers and 300 printers in labs and $400,000 for training 6,000 teachers in basic IT skills. These estimates do not include administrative time, or contributions by other partners.
If procurement regulations allow and goods are available on the local market, organizations might consider providing grants for equipment and letting the Ministry of Education or the schools themselves procure computers, equipment and installation locally. This helps the local economy and will likely mean that the money will go further, resulting in more computers.
Timing is Important
Each of the organizations involved in bringing computers and internet to Macedonia’s schools has different business issues, different stakeholders to which they must answer, and different processes for procurement. As a result, it was not easy to put the pieces of this partnership together in such a way that the timing always worked.
The first tranche of computers from the PRC arrived and were distributed to schools by MoES in 2003. They were not installed into labs in secondary schools by USAID until summer 2004, due to the time it took to start the E-schools project and subcontract locally for the installation. This understandably caused frustration for all involved. To insure more success and less frustration with installation of the second tranche of computers, and later with internet, representatives from MoES, USAID, and USAID’s E-schools projects established a bi-weekly coordination meeting. The team was later joined by representatives of the Bureau for Development of Education (BDE) to help coordinate training, Macedonia Connects for Internet, and, as needed, representatives of the Education Modernization Project (EMP)—funded by World Bank and the Dutch Government—which helps schools with needed electrical repairs. Through these meetings, transparency and communication helped resolve problems quickly.
Microsoft’s donation arrived in spring 2005, in time for the installation of labs in the primary schools. However, because the first 2,000 computers for the secondary schools were received and installed prior to receipt of the donated software, as mentioned earlier, open source software had to be installed to make these operational for the schools for the 2004 school year. Now IT teachers in the schools must go back and install the donated software on all computers.
The computers that were delivered in the first round were installed in wired labs in secondary schools. When the second order for 3,300 computers was placed, it was anticipated that they would be installed in wired labs as well. However, while the computers were in transit, the team agreed that having wireless LANs in the primary school would give the schools more flexibility. Making this happen required the purchase and installation of 3,300 wireless cards.
Summer means vacation time in Macedonia’s schools. As a result, both the E-Schools and Macedonia Connects projects had difficulty finding School Directors or their designees to open schools during July and August 2005. Coordinating with the Ministry on a daily basis was critical to keep the schools open and keep the installation on schedule.
The Macedonia Connects project started in September 2004 but an ISP was not chosen until April 2005 because of the competitive bid process. This delay was actually positive for the project in that the telecom monopoly was dissolved allowing for more growth in the market and new technologies emerged to make building an effective network cheaper and easier.
Start off with coordination meetings and include everyone you might need to involve from the start. Information sharing is valuable and individuals can always withdraw later if their participation is not needed.
The Regulatory Environment is Critical
Another USAID project, the WTO Compliance Activity, worked with the GoM to develop a new telecom law to help open the market prior to the end of the MakTel monopoly on December 31, 2004. Without the end of the monopoly and strong regulations in place, it would not have been possible to set up a nationwide wireless broadband network or to increase competition in the internet market and introduce services such as VOIP effectively.
Basics Matter
Security, insurance, and maintenance of the computers were not widely considered in the initial planning stages and caused problems during secondary school installation. Problems with electricity became an issue for the primary school installation.
During the first installation of computers in secondary schools, computers were stolen from three of the 100 computer labs. These schools did not have insurance to cover the loss. Even when schools were insured, many secondary school labs remained locked due to a lack of awareness by the school directors that the insurance policy they already had covered the new computers.
Some labs remained locked while not in use because of a lack of funds to maintain the equipment and general security concerns.
USAID worked with the School Directors’ association to raise the issues of security, maintenance and insurance on a post-installation basis for the secondary schools and held pre-installation meetings with the primary schools to try to head off some of the problems. Despite the precautions and the fact that there were bars on the windows, three primary schools lost their computers, one just two hours after installation.
Over 100 of the 360 primary schools needed basic electrical repairs before installing a safe computer lab in the building was possible. Several of the schools were able to complete the repairs themselves. MoES, through EMP, arranged for schools that were not able to do the repairs themselves to get advances on individual grants that were to be given to each school as part of the education decentralization process in Macedonia.
It makes sense to require evidence of security and insurance before transferring equipment or installing computers. Schools can often purchase inexpensive insurance through a private insurance company. Sign an agreement with each school that they will be responsible for maintenance of the computers. Encourage schools to develop regional maintenance pools, including using local technical schools to do the work. Provide training for LAN administration as needed/possible.
If Possible, Think Globally
Because Macedonia is relatively small in land size, it is possible, and even more cost effective, to do programs on a national, rather than a pilot scale. Macedonia Connects is a good example of scalability. By using the schools as a platform across the country, On.Net was able to build a network to a scale large enough so that the resulting market would increase the chances of internet sustainability, especially in rural areas. With this scale, On.Net is able to lower the prices of connectivity dramatically and offer a special teacher/student package at €9 - €15 per month.
The Real Work is Just Beginning
On average, the primary schools now have 5-20 computers for 300-2500 students and secondary schools have 20-40 computers for 700-1200 students. Although not an ideal ratio, it is a significant improvement. Installing hardware and software and seeing new labs in new schools certainly feels like an accomplishment. Add internet for every school and it feels better. However, the real work starts once the computers and connectivity are in place.
How are teachers and students to be motivated to use the increased ICT capacity? Students currently study IT (or infomatics) in Macedonia starting in 5th grade. How will the curriculum be revised to integrate IT in early primary school? Who will help teachers create digital content in Macedonian, Albanian, and other languages in use in the country? And… how will it be possible to get even more computers and internet access in classrooms in Macedonia so that the nations 330,000 primary and secondary school students are able to learn 21st century IT skills and be more competitive in the labor market?
These are the next issues for the consortium to tackle.
For more information, please contact Leigh Shamblin at lshamblin@usaid.gov or Glenn Strachan at glenn@glennstrachan.com.
Table 1 – Sites supported by USAID’s Macedonia Connects project.
| Secondary schools (with labs) |
100 |
| Primary schools (with labs) |
360 |
| Subtotal |
460 |
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| Secondary school dormitories |
24 |
| University faculties |
11 |
| Bureau for Development of Education offices |
15 |
| Free Connectivity Grant Winners (NGOs) |
20 |
| Residential institution for physically/mentally handicapped |
1 |
| Subtotal |
71 |
| TOTAL |
531 |
Figure 1 – View of the On.Net wireless backbone.
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