Global Objective:
Organization of e-Learning training programs for Member States in the areas of ICT, science education and teacher training as a means to promote and upgrade the science and ICT skills in the region. The initiative is to enable the region to produce the necessary human resource material capable of participating in the information society and the global knowledge economy whilst contributing to the development and usage of e-service products in our region’s economy. Collaborative efforts are being pursued with governments, international, public and private organizations towards the achievement of this goal.

The programme equally promotes the up-skilling of ECOWAS institutions’ staff using e-learning methodology.

Program Achievements:
i) Launched the ECOWAS institutions and agencies staff e-Learning facility
ii) Collated inputs from Member States on Youth Innovation Hubs (YIHs) to assist with training and equipment.

Program Objective:
i) Equip and strengthen ICT innovation hubs in Member States; and train their youth members;
ii) Lay the foundation through training and up-skilling of youth members of the hubs and teachers in Member States on e-Content development not only for educational purposes but also to propel the creation of knowledge-based industries in Member States;
iii) Continue to promote e-learning training programs for staff of ECOWAS institutions;
iv) Survey e-learning facilities in other international organizations to inform the ECOWAS experience on best practices to adopt;
v) Create a knowledge bank for the ECOWAS Commission; and
vi) Establish a memorandum of understanding with the International Conferences Workshops and Exhibitions (ICWE), the foremost international network of e-leaning experts.

Program Justification:
i) Decision C/DEC.2/6/86 on the establishment of the CCC and the contribution it is to make towards the training of upper level staff with a view to introducing modern management techniques in activities at national level in Member States.
ii) Strategic Goals and Objectives G.5.1 – Enhance the technical and analytical skills of staff in all relevant areas in order to create a knowledge-based ECOWAS organization.

Program Operational Activities:
i) Training of youth in Member States in e-Learning, e-content development, ICT skills and knowledge working entrepreneurship development in collaboration with the International Conferences Workshops and Exhibitions (ICWE) and partners;
ii) Up-skill needy e-Learning researchers, practitioners and experts from the ECOWAS region by sponsoring their participation in e-Learning conferences to enable them present research/other papers and rub minds with experts from other regions – an aspect of training of upper level staff in Member States; and
iii) Promote knowledge acquisition among ECOWAS staff via e-learning.

SUB-PROGRAM 4.1:    E-LEARNING FOR ECOWAS MEMBER STATES
(a) Training of youth members and equipping of ICT innovation hubs in Member States. CCC and other IT staff of ECOWAS institutions and agencies will deliver the training to the youth in the innovation hubs to set the stage for e-Content development technology transfer to the youth and the teaching population.

(b) Survey of Youth Innovation Hubs in Member States to determine the appropriate assistance in skills training and equipment required to be delivered.

(c) Sponsoring of needy West African e-learning researchers, practitioners and experts to present their papers in conferences and to rub minds with international experts from other regions as a means to hone their skills and thereby nurture a crop of capable and experienced experts and practitioners. This activity also creates the avenue for the Commission to identify such experts and to collaborate with them on e-Content development technology transfer to Member States.

SUB-PROGRAM 4.2:     E-LEARNING FOR ECOWAS INSTITUTIONS

(a) The focus this program will be to promote the adoption and usage of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) by staff in ECOWAS institutions, agencies and projects. The goal is to orientate staff to modern learning opportunities and methods and thereby bring about their participation in the knowledge driven aspects of the information society. MOOCs are free online courses with unlimited participation and open access via the web. Anyone willing to take a course can access the website and sign up.