DEGREE PROGRAM IN COMPUTER SCIENCE : JUSTIFICATION

  The development of a country consists of development of its human resource, technology development and optimal utilization of it natural resources. This requires knowledge building and its effective utilization towards developing the new technologies and its implementation. Teaching and research are integral parts of establishing this knowledge

Building and its effective utilization towards development the new technologies and its implementation Teaching and research are integral parts of establishing this knowledge base and are the prime duties of institutions of higher education. Primary and secondary Schooling provide the basic background for higher education, whereas universities have to provide the latest education on par with international standards, and to produce graduates who have the ability to acquire and evaluate new methods and methodologies they appear. In this country the University of Asmara has sole responsibility for providing this type of education.

       In a university many subjects are taught. Some of these are necessary for mental development, some provide strong background for human resources and some are directly applicable to the productive units of the country. The subject of computer science falls into both the category of directly applicable, and that of providing a human resources background for the productive units.

       As already mentioned in the background section, the need for qualified professionals in computer related areas is already large and seems to be constantly mounting. Additionally, as seen in other countries, computer related occupation are excellent careers for many people with physical disablements, as a computer relatively easily can be adapted to compensate for many activity limitations, and for Imitations to access,

        Currently this need in Eritrea is only met by private, vocational schools, While these can train the needed lower (user) layers within the area, and parts of the middle ones (technicians), there are two main problems with this situation:

·         First of all, the cost of such training limits it to the affluent segments of the population.

·         Secondly, a higher-level training is missing. This training is needed to critically evaluate, analyses, and deploy information technology, to identify, formulate, and solve new problems with the help of computer technology, to rapidly assimilate new technology and methodologies as they appear, and to make invention in the field.

  

       Further, if the work force at large is to become familiar with using computer tools, primary and secondary education teachers require training in the elements of computer usage and computer science. This in turn requires highly qualified academicians to train these teachers,

       Finally, computer science is more and more becoming an extremely important auxiliary subject for other academic disciplines, in the same way that mathematics has been for a long time. Currently, there is little support within the University of Asmara for this intramural function.

       Computer science and computer technology change very rapidly, and require the ability to adapt quickly to the changing circumstances. To train human resources for effective use of the technology. It is against this background that the need to establish a curriculum in Computer Science has arisen. Introductory computer training is not new for the students of the University. Every student takes one or two courses in computer subject, but this is not sufficient t in the present scenario. A full- fledge degree programme, in computer science is needed in view of present and future of the country. Without such a programme, the country and its citizens will be limited in their ability to use this new technology, as the word force will at most be able to use whatever technology happens to be current when they are trained. With a degree in computer science, science, university graduates will be able to:

  •  Adapt to the rapidly changing circumstances in this area on their own, without need for costly re-training,

  • Critically evaluate and implement various solutions based on information technology,

  • Train the main part of the work force, whether in lower-level schools or in private establishments,

  • Establish new businesses based on the new technology, and

  • Contribute to the evolving technology, instead of being passive users of what has been developed elsewhere.

The establishment of a department computer science will be in the interest of the various other departments of the University, as it will open a new  possible minor in many related areas (business administration, mathematics, psychology, to mention a few possibilities).

Last updated: September 7 2001

©2001 CSD