Global Courant
Digital technologies and connectivity are key to unlocking the true potential of African youth. By providing new opportunities for African youth to learn and for teachers to connect with students in the most remote and rural communities, these resources play an integral role in improving African education systems. But only if the right support mechanisms and policies are in place.
This is one of the key points emerging from new research from Vodacom Group, Vodafone and Safaricom, launched in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The research paper, entitled “How digital technologies can transform education in Sub-Saharan Africa”, outlines the current state of education across the continent. It shows how digital technologies and connectivity, combined with the necessary regulatory frameworks and support from both governments and industry stakeholders, can be used to reduce barriers to education across the continent.
The research report outlines that access to education across Africa has increased dramatically over the past 50 to 60 years, but unfortunately an increase in access does not necessarily translate into an increase in the quality of education delivered. Coupled with affordable and reliable connectivity, digital tools and technologies provide a cost-effective and scalable solution to this problem by enabling young people to connect with highly trained educators who can help them turn educational content into valuable knowledge.
“We have seen this firsthand through our ecosystem of education projects and initiatives, which seek to provide access to quality educational resources, support distance learning and seek to improve the overall educational experience for teachers and students in one of the most underserved Africans. improve. communities,” said Shameel Joosub, CEO of Vodacom Group.
“Our Vodacom e-School program in South Africa is a good example of this,” he adds. The initiative promotes digital education by providing free access to quality education for students in primary and secondary education (grades R to 12). This includes access to digital learning materials (such as interactive textbooks, multimedia content and assessments), other learning resources and support services. The platform is available for free on mobile and desktop devices for all Vodacom customers.
“Access to quality education is critical to combat intergenerational cycles of poverty and inequality. Nelson Mandela has always emphasized the importance of education, not only for self-fulfillment and individual transformation, but also for shifting society’s trajectory towards justice, equity and shared dignity,” said Professor Verne Harris, Acting CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation .
While there is no doubt that these digital innovations can completely transform African education, there are a number of barriers to digital access that prevent African youth from making the most of it. For Professor Jonathan Jansen, an internationally renowned education expert and one of the authors of the research article, these stumbling blocks include everything from lack of reliable electricity, limited technical support and poor internet access to language barriers, political instability and restrictive social norms. But with the right policies, infrastructure and investments, digitization can offer African youth new opportunities to enjoy a more just, sustainable and connected future, he says.
“Each of these hurdles can be overcome through the right partnerships, interventions and ecosystems. Importantly, addressing these obstacles requires political support and support from governments to ensure that the mechanisms put in place are suitable for meeting African learners and educators where they are,” continues Professor Jansen.
In practice, this means developing and implementing regulations that support digital education, building strategic partnerships and investing in digital infrastructure. In addition, African governments should enable small-scale digital education projects and make a concerted effort to transform teacher education to meet the demands of digital learning.
There is no doubt that the challenge ahead is a tough one, confirms Joosub. “It is critical that we take the time to understand Africa’s economic, social and political environment so that we can bring together the right stakeholders – from those at the top of government to students in classrooms in the remotest corners of the world. our continent. get started with solutions. By doing this, we can unite to solve the problems we face as a collective, so that we can ensure that our young people are equipped with everything they need to add value to their communities and participate well to the digital economy.”
Click here ( to read the full Africa.connected Digital Literacy paper.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Vodacom Group.
This press release is issued by APO. The content is not checked by the African Business editors and none of the content has been checked or validated by our editors, proofreaders or fact-checkers. The publisher is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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