CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION          Background

Over the last three decades or so, the world seems to have witnessed tremendous growth in technology creating a new global knowledge driven by Information and Communication  Technologies (ICTs)  (Boateng, 2012).  Countries  al  over  the  world  recognize  the  fact  that ICT has a wide range of potential,  this is apparent  in  the  way  it  has  been  exploited  and  applied in  almost  every  aspect  of  human  life   including   governance,   economics,   agriculture and most particularly education (Gomez, Hunt, & Lamoreux, 1999). According  to  Boateng, (2012),  academic digitization programmes  have  recently  increased   sharply   in   Africa   giving rise to  an astronomical growth in online higher education enrolment and rapid adoption  of self-paced  e-learning,  making  the  continent   one  of  the   most  dynamic   e-learning  markets  in the world. Among the numerous opportunities created by  e-learning  are  administrative opportunities, instructional opportunities, infrastructural  opportunities,  business  services opportunities and student-centred opportunities (Boateng, 2012). Awotwi  and  Owusu  (2010), have indicated that ICTs  have  revamped the  role  of  extension  services  in  providing information, education and decision-making assistance to agricultural producers.

Recent trends appear to suggest that access to information has been greatly  enhanced  through ICTs, creating opportunities like never  before  for  the  youth  and  adults  to  acquire  knowledge  and skil s that make possible continuous  learning  over  their  lifetime  and  improvement  in  their living condition (Boateng, 2012). Therefore ICTs which include  radio  and  television  as  wel as  newer  digital  technologies  such  as  computers  and  the  internet,  have  the  potential  to increase access to learning by helping to overcome barriers  such  as  those  of  cost,  time  and space (Boateng, 2012). Thus, ICT has the potential to enhance education general y and in particularly Non-formal Education (NFE) and Life Long Learning (LLL). The European

Union Memorandum on Lifelong Learning highlighted the crucial role of ICT for active citizenship and employability in the 21st century (Sey  &  Fel ows,  2009).  Furthermore,  the context of globalization and  the  emergent  „knowledge  society‟,  is  creating  increasing  demand for continuing education and growing  awareness  of  lifelong  learning  especial y  in  Africa (Boateng, 2012).

As  governments  in  nearly   al   countries  are  putting  in  place  mechanism  to  deliver  more  of their  services over  the  internet  (e-Governance),  their  private  sectors   are   equal y  making better use of the ICTs  to   communicate  with  their  customers  as  wel  as  suppliers  (e- commerce), and digital technology wil become not  just  more  sophisticated,  but  cheaper  and easier to  use (Sam, 2013). The introduction of e-governance and e-commerce  could  impact greatly on the lives of people  in both urban  and  rural  communities.  ICTs  are  increasingly explored and deployed to facilitate learning  and  create  a  knowledge  society  for  citizens  to acquire the requisite knowledge and competence aimed at ensuring an accelerated national development, especial y in the rural and disadvantaged communities (Sey &  Fel ows,  2009). These trends suggest individuals and communities would need to  use information and  communication technologies to learn, solve their problems and enrich their lives.

Over the last three decades, Community Information Centres (CICs) have become the most prevalent  initiative  in  developing  countries  of  Africa  (Oppong-Tawiah,  2010).  There  is  no doubt that, the current global economic society  in  which  we  live  necessitates  intensive  use  of  ICT to accelerate national development. The Government of Ghana is not only  determined  to exploit ICTs for the social and economic benefits of its citizens but also to  ensure  that,  the benefits of ICTs are spread across the country to facilitate accelerated national development (Dzidonu, 2003). Successive governments in Ghana embarked on the development  of ICT  in  efforts   to  move   Ghana   towards  a  knowledge-based  society.   Several  initiatives   to  accelerate

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