NAIROBI, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- An African scholar on Tuesday blamed poor research in the continent to limited access to internet and broadband.
Goolam Mohamedbhai, chair of Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET), said that researchers in Africa require good access to internet services.
"Researchers in universities require Information, Communication, and Technology to be able to communicate their findings in a timely manner," Mohamedbhai told a forum on science research in Nairobi.
He noted that in 2017, only 22 percent of Africa's population had internet access, a figure that is far low compared by other continents.
"This is a sign that access to broadband technology is still very poor in the continent and requires urgent measures," said Mohamedbhai who is a former vice-chancellor of the University of Mauritius.
He further said that the frequent power outages are also another challenge that the institutions of higher learning are grappling with.
The scholar revealed that lack of laboratory equipment and facilities lead to insufficient research in the continent. He called for the employment of doctorates degree holders in productive industry and leadership positions in government.
Goolam Mohamedbhai is also former secretary-general of the Association of African Universities, and consultant to the World Bank on PASET.
