National ICT Strategic Plan Government of St Kitts and Nevis have risen faster than in most countries in the region. The labor force numbers about 22,000 workers. As for ICT professionals, a SKN private sector manager estimates that salaries for ICT network professionals are roughly half of the U.S. level. The SKN Government is the main provider of basic education. It has invested significant resources into outfitting primary and secondary schools with computers and Internet connectivity. Strategic Steps to Develop ICT Human Resources Beyond ICT literacy - shaping an information and learning culture Of absolute necessity is the continuing struggle towards a smarter society. To that end one should first seek the widest possible level of ICT literacy through inclusion of ICT in formal and informal education and the training of teachers and instructors. One should further seek that all citizens are given the chance to achieve the highest possible level of education, develop their skills and talents throughout their lives, have their innovative and creative capabilities encouraged to be in a position to actively contribute to the production of local content for the electronic resources. This requires deep changes in curricula, teaching methods, operation and management of formal and informal educational programmes and institutions, provision of teaching and learning materials as well as supporting lifelong learning through a combination of traditional classroom (face to face), distance and open education methods. Related strategic steps are to: x Develop a sensitisation and training programme about the opportunities and challenges of the effective use of ICT in organizations and society targeted at senior and middle managers, and decision-makers in all sectors. x Call for and support vocational training (e.g. with a professional education levy or incentive, subsidies, study loans, etc.) with a view to upgrading the ICT skills of the present workforce. Special attention must be paid to the unskilled workforce and women. Ministry of Finance, Sustainable Development, Information and Technology November, 2006 37