Against the backdrop of Hutori's economic recovery, the question of the nation's moves in the coming decades is yearning to be answered. With provincial governments having already outlined their respective economic agenda going into the next decade, there is a need for the federal government to address the general direction in which Hutori will be heading as a means of ensuring the respective provinces play pivotal roles in the nation's development. Earlier this morning, at a joint press conference at 24 Orange Avenue, Prime Minister Jack Perrin and Federal Minister of Planning and Development, Dr Aarav Singh announced Hutori's Digital Transformation Agenda going in the future. As the government ministry responsible for policy development and information technology, the Federal Ministry of Planning and Development will be responsible for guiding and implementing the digital transformation agenda alongside other ministries such as the Ministry of Public Administration. The Digital Transformation Agenda had been birthed out of deep consultations with numerous officials both in the public and private sectors and was crafted with the objective of pivoting Hutori towards becoming a completely digital nation. Grounded in the belief that the Federal Government should establish the foundation/standard for the digital revolution in Hutori, the proposed Digital Transformation Agenda focuses on numerous areas including economic growth, innovation and inclusion. The Ministry notes that concurrently, a significant percentage of Hutori's population is not digitally literate (i.e.) persons either don't have access to digital mediums or simply don't know how to operate simple digital mediums such as cellphones, computers and tablets. The Digital Transformation Agenda, according to the Ministry, also focuses on the public sector. It establishes a mandate for provincial governments to formally begin the "Digital Transformation" agenda in their respective governments. The general aim of digital transformation in the public sector is to ensure that (1) it remains modern and adaptable to new/emerging technologies and (2) there is a complete reduction in bureaucracy as processes that would have spanned across days, months and/or even years can be narrowed down to mere hours or minutes. Apart from this, it allows for administrative bodies to become more efficient in terms of data analytics (i.e.) allowing for data to become the foundation upon which decisions are made. The Digital Transformation Agenda outlines numerous measures aimed at transforming Hutori's digital landscape as it pertains to governance, infrastructure, education and the economy.
Digital transformation in the public sector is not a minuscule issue as others might have it out to be. It encompasses business processes, millions of government documents, the culture of the public service employees and the ability for this public service to remain modern, aware and adaptable to new and emerging technologies. Minister Singh notes that prior that following an audit into the numerous "digital transformation" initiatives throughout the various government ministries, most if not all of the initiatives had been happening in silos. He explains: "Digital Transformation in the public sector cannot be centred only on the idea that a government ministry/department converts hardcopy documents into softcopy and uploads said documents onto a registry. Digital Transformation entails the digitisation of those documents for their application in numerous settings. Thus, the transformation also entails interoperability and how documents digitised from the Federal Ministries of Health and Social Development can be accessed and used by the Federal Ministry of Education and Culture without the need for multiple entries by citizens." The Minister notes that ensuring the public servants themselves are digitally competent is of extreme importance to the digital transformation process. Already, plans are underway for the government to begin the construction of a new public service academy that would allow for new disciplines to be gained by potential public service employees. Apart from this, it is expected that the digital transformation in the public service will see numerous processes brought online. From the renewal of passports to accessing medical records. Currently, government documents are being digitised and uploaded to the federal government's new central information depository where any government department/ministry may access government data based on a scale of authorisation.
The shift towards embracing technology must be met with a wave of infrastructural upgrades. As people continue to utilise digital platforms in increasing frequency, there is an inherent need for connectivity as it pertains to internet connections. Whilst the question of liberalising the domestic telecommunications market to allow for greater involvement by private sector entities who could potentially drive the entire process of enhancing internet connectivity is one for consideration, Minister Singh notes that said process would have to be supervised by the Federal Government. The Digital Transformation Agenda notes that internet connectivity must be fast in order for it to be accessible in the eyes of the general public, explaining that slow internet connectivity is generally avoided by the general public and thus should be avoided by provincial governments. The Infrastructure question not only encompasses internet connectivity and speed but also pertains to the application of digital platforms in infrastructure. For example, the Federal Ministry of Planning and Development notes that port infrastructure in preparation for the future economy must integrate digital platforms such as 5G connectivity to enhance its efficiency and general operations. The Digital Transformation Agenda calls for the liberalisation of the domestic telecommunications market and the introduction of a federal supervisory authority responsible for issues such as consumer protection and the enforcement of standards. It also posits the introduction of a digital infrastructure investment fund which would allow for small/medium-sized businesses to receive funding to enhance their ability to fully exploit 4G/5G connectivity. It is expected that should the domestic telecommunications market be liberalised that the companies which come out of this process will be responsible for transforming telecommunication lines and other related infrastructure albeit with significant government assistance.
The digital transformation agenda's focus on education and digital culture is primarily rooted in the objectives of ensuring education and technology can be blended to ensure better access/inclusive to education by students and that digital literacy lends way to a population which becomes more and more accepting of technology as a medium to improve efficiency, speed and inclusion. Federal Minister of Education and Culture, Reid Chambers notes that the internet is rapidly becoming the go-to medium for which students receive information. He explained that the increased reach of the internet, as it pertains to being able to obtain information that might not have been readily available prior to its inception, has allowed students to consume and deconstruct information at a faster pace. According to the Computer Society of Hutori, students who are digitally literate are more inclined to use their literacy for creative means, to communicate and bridge numerous divides. Digital literacy is becoming increasingly important to the modern economy as more and more employment opportunities are being combined with technology to allow for greater speed and ease of doing work. The Digital Transformation Agenda, as established by the Ministry of Planning and Development envisions a Hutorian population whose mindset is shifted entirely towards a complete embracing of technology. The Digital Transformation Agenda identifies numerous areas for government investment as new opportunities will present themselves. It calls for the federal government to make funding available to provincial governments to undergo a transformation of their respective education systems to allow for (1) schools to adopt new technologies (2) the retraining of teachers to utilise technological mediums to enhance the delivery of education and (3) schools to furnish students will digital applications such as tablets, e-books, electronic drawing pads and laptop computers. Minister Chambers notes that the Federal Government will convene a meeting of the various education ministers of the provincial governments on the Federal Education Curriculum, which according to the Minister will be advisory.