In celebration of this year's Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Day, CERT Vanuatu, in collaboration with the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), hosted an ICT boot camp for high school students in Port Vila, particularly those in Years 12 and 13.
Dr Jeffrey Garae, Cyber Security Advisor at CERT Vanuatu, talked about the global importance of World ICT Day, which is on May 17 and is organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). He reflected on how Vanuatu is committed to celebrating this day with events and activities that promote ICTs.
This year's celebration is extra special for Vanuatu because it hosted the main ICT Day event on Thursday and Friday. The event, led by the OGCIO and supported by CERT Vanuatu, aims to get high school students interested in careers in ICT, computer science, information systems, and cybersecurity.
A big part of this year's celebration is the start of the boot camp, where students get hands-on experience with ICT and cybersecurity.
Dr Garae said it is a new initiative that they will test to see if it works well for future programs.
“The boot camp sessions include a mix of activities, from classroom-style lessons on basic ICT and cybersecurity to practical exercises on internet safety and online security,” he said.
“As well as the fun activities, talks about new internet laws are happening. People are getting detailed explanations to make sure everything lines up with what the government wants and the rules in place.”
Garae said that on ICT Day, students learn not just about cybersecurity but also about the laws related to the internet. This way, they have the right knowledge and skills to use the internet safely.
At the end of the boot camp, students get certificates to show they took part and learned something. These certificates are good for their records and show they were actively involved in promoting ICT education and cybersecurity in Vanuatu.
Vanuatu's celebration of World ICT Day shows its commitment to teaching young people about technology and cybersecurity, making sure they are ready for the future.
Over the past two days, students from different schools, like Central School, Malapoa College, Epauto, Lycee, Monmartre, Tebakor, Onesua, vocational schools in Port Vila, Vanuatu Institute of Technology (VIT), and Pacific Vocational Training Center (PVTC), have been at the Melanesian Hotel conference room for the boot camp sessions.