First Linux Professional Institute certification in Africa

LPI has chosen to sign deals with two organisations in East and Central Africa. As well as EACOSS, Lifeforte, one of Africa’s foremost educational establishments, will provide representation in Nigeria. Commenting on the certification, George Lule, Managing Director at EACOSS, said that he expected the deal to see a “substantial increase in qualified IT personnel - and assure employers, clients and other stakeholders that they are entrusting their open source software (OSS) based IT infrastructure to professionals who meet an international skills standard."

The LPI is the largest independent Linux skills certification institute and has delivered more than 15,000 exams around the world. It was set up to promote essential skills and certification in Linux and OSS technologies. LPI area operations manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, John Meany said that the two new affiliates are “indicative of the growing importance of Linux and open source software both in the field of education and IT capacity development in Africa".

In 2003, IICD carried out some research on the status of Open Source in Africa. The research indicated that there was a need for certified OSS developers and systems administrators in Africa. In Uganda most ministries and ISPs were running on Linux, but support personnel were being flown in from abroad, at great cost. This lack of capacity within the country was addressed by IICD in a joint venture with Martyrs University and Linux Solutions Ltd, and resulted in the establishment of a NGO called the East Africa Centre for Open Source Software ( EACOSS). At this point a Training Centre and Resource Centre was established, aimed at raising awareness of the benefits of OSS, and providing essential training for system and network administrators throughout East Africa.

The development objectives of EACOSS, from the outset, have always been clear: to create an improved understanding of the role of OSS in the development of society; to contribute to national development by giving people the skills in OSS that will improve their marketability; to help develop the local ICT industry; the break down the barriers to ICT and improve accessibility. Perhaps due to this clear vision, the impact of the EACOSS project was felt very quickly in Uganda.

In 2005, EACOSS organised more than twenty OSS courses, including training for both people in the ICT business and for people with a more general interest in ICT. They also began offering a basic computer course for school leavers. They have promoted self-learning in the community through the production of an OSS training course on CD-ROM and they also launched five ‘mirror sites’ to enable local computer engineers to download specific, related software. In May 2005, EACOSS entered into a formal public-private partnership with Ordina, one of the largest ICT companies in the Netherlands, and IICD. This was the first public-private partnership of its kind. 

It is felt by many that the recognition by the LPI - and the corresponding affiliate deal - will speed up the shift away from expensive proprietary software towards a technological environment characterised by choice. The increased affordability of computers and associated applications will enable more students to receive training in OSS, especially students in the younger generation: a step that it is widely accepted will improve the intellectual and economic development of this region of Africa.