Biennale on Education in Africa
(Maputo, Mozambique, May, 5-9 2008)
Beyond Primary Education:
Challenges and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities in Africa
Parallel Session 7D
Mathematics, Science, Technologies
and Information and
Communications Technologies
in Post-Primary Education
Survey of ICT and Education In Africa
(Vol. 1)
By Glen FARRELL
The Commonwealth of Learning
Shafika ISAACS
Mindset Network
Working Document
Draft
PLEASE DO NOT DISSEMINATE
DOC 1.3.09
• Original Version in English •
This document was prepared by ADEA for its Biennale (Maputo, Mozambique, May 5-9, 2008).
The views and opinions expressed in this volume are those of the authors and should not be
attributed to ADEA, to its members or affiliated organizations or to any individual acting on behalf
of ADEA.
The document is a working document still in the stages of production. It has been prepared to serve
as a basis for discussions at the ADEA Biennale and should not be disseminated for other purposes
at this stage.
© Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) – 2008
Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA)
International Institute for Educational Planning
7-9 rue Eugène Delacroix
75116 Paris, France
Tel.: +33(0)1 45 03 77 57
Fax: +33(0)1 45 03 39 65
adea@iiep.unesco.org
website: www.ADEAnet.org
2
+ MAINSTREAMING
• How are ICTs currently being used in the education sector in Africa, and what are the
SURVEY OF
ICT AND EDUCATION
IN AFRICA
• What are the common challenges and constraints faced by African countries in this area?
• What is actually happening on the ground, and to what extent are donors involved?
• ICT Policies for Education in Africa
• ICT Activities and Initiatives in Higher Education in Africa
• ICT Activities and Initiatives in Primary and Secondary Schools
• ICT Activities and Initiatives in Non-formal Education in Africa
A DRAFT infoDEV PUBLICATION PREPARED BY:
Glen Farrell
The Commonwealth of Learning
Shafika Isaacs
Mindset Network
• Gender Equity and ICT in Education in Africa
• Factors Enabling and Constraining ICT Use in Education in Africa
• ICT in Education in Africa: A Way Forward
ICT and Education Series
A Summary Report
Based on 53 Country Surveys
Algeria • Angola • Benin • Botswana
Burkina Faso • Burundi • Cameroon
Cape Verde • Central African Republic
Chad • Comoros • Congo • Côte d’Ivoire
Djibouti • Democratic Republic of the Congo
Egypt • Equatorial Guinea • Eritrea • Ethiopia
Gabon • The Gambia • Ghana • Guinea
Guinea-Bissau • Kenya • Lesotho • Liberia
Libya • Madagascar • Malawi • Mali
Mauritania • Mauritius • Morocco
Mozambique • Namibia • Niger • Nigeria
Rwanda • Sao Tome and Principe • Senegal
Seychelles • Sierra Leone • Somalia
South Africa • Sudan • Swaziland
Tanzania • Togo • Tunisia • Uganda
Zambia • Zimbabwe
ICT AND EDUCATION SERIES
SERIES EDITOR:
Michael Trucano
This Summary Report is complemented by 53 separate Country Reports.
Dev is a partnership of international development agencies, coordinated and served by an
expert Secretariat housed in the Global ICT Department (GICT) of the World Bank, one of its key
donors and founders. It acts as a neutral convener of dialogue, and as a coordinator of joint
action among bilateral and multilateral donors—supporting global sharing of information on ICT
for development (ICT4D), and helping to reduce duplication of efforts and investments. To this
end,
Dev sponsors cutting-edge research and analysis to help identify global best practice in
the use of ICT4D.
Information for
Development Program
www.infoDev.org
SURVEY OF ICT AND
EDUCATION IN AFRICA
A Summary Report
Based on 53 Country Surveys
Algeria • Angola • Benin • Botswana
Burkina Faso • Burundi • Cameroon
Cape Verde • Central African Republic
Chad • Comoros • Congo • Côte d’Ivoire
Djibouti • Democratic Republic of the Congo
Egypt • Equatorial Guinea • Eritrea • Ethiopia
Gabon • The Gambia • Ghana • Guinea
Guinea-Bissau • Kenya • Lesotho • Liberia
Libya • Madagascar • Malawi • Mali
Mauritania • Mauritius • Morocco
Mozambique • Namibia • Niger • Nigeria
Rwanda • Sao Tome and Principe • Senegal
Seychelles • Sierra Leone • Somalia
South Africa • Sudan • Swaziland
Tanzania • Togo • Tunisia • Uganda
Zambia • Zimbabwe
A DRAFT infoDEV PUBLICATION
PREPARED BY:
Glen Farrell
The Commonwealth of Learning
Shafika Isaacs
Mindset Network
ICT AND EDUCATION SERIES
SERIES EDITOR:
Michael Trucano
Information for
Development Program
www.infoDev.org
To cite this publication:
Farrell, Glen and Shafika Isaacs. 2007. Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report, Based on
53 Country Surveys. Washington, DC: infoDev / World Bank.
Available at http://www.infodev.org/en/Publication.353.html
©2007
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/
The World Bank
1818 H Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20433
U.S.A.
All rights reserved
The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are entirely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily
reflect the view of infoDev, the Donors of infoDev, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World
Bank and its affiliated organizations, the Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.
The World Bank cannot guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations,
and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply on the part of the World Bank any judgment of the legal
status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
Report Limitations
vii
Project Background
ix
Overview
ix
Survey Process
ix
Project Team
x
Acknowledgements
x
Survey Highlights
1
A New Phase: From Projects to Policies
1
Diferential Implementation Progress
1
Macro Trends
1
Donors
3
Enabling and Limiting Factors
3
Enlightened Leadership
3
ICT Policies for Education in Africa
5
General Observations
5
National ICT Policies
5
Education Sector ICT Policies and Implementation Plan
6
Policy Management
7
ICT Infrastructure for Education in Africa
General Observations
Infrastructure in Higher Education
www.infodev.org
v
9
9
10
Table of Contents iii
Infrastructure in Schools
11
Infrastructure for Non-formal Education and the General Public
11
ICT Activities and Initiatives in Higher Education in Africa
13
Technical/Vocational Education and Training
13
Universities
13
Distance Education and e-Learning in Higher Education
14
Content Development
15
ICT Activities and Initiatives in Primary and Secondary Schools
17
General Observations
17
Equipment and Connectivity
17
Teacher Professional Development and Training Programmes
20
Content Development
21
Cost Models
22
ICT Activities and Initiatives in Non-formal Education in Africa
General Observations
Gender Equity and ICT in Education in Africa
23
23
25
General Observations
25
Policy Environment
25
Gender Mainstreaming and Targeted Approaches
26
Factors Enabling and Constraining ICT Use in Education in Africa
27
ICT in Education in Africa: A Way Forward
29
Moving Forward on Implementation of ICT in Education
29
Continuing to Build an Information Base for ICT in
Education in Africa
30
Notes
31
Annexes
33
1. Regional ICT/Education Initiatives in Africa
35
2. Selected Bibliography
43
iv Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
PREFACE
his study aims to bridge a crucial gap in our knowledge of the use of information and communication
technologies (ICTs) in Africa.
Despite
n
n
n
n
n
n
widespread beliefs that ICTs can be important potential levers to introduce and sustain education reform
eforts in Africa;
anecdotal evidence of increasingly widespread demand for and use of ICTs in education initiatives in
African countries;
demonstrated interest from African policymakers in using ICTs to help meet Education For All (EFA)
objectives;
scattered and often uncoordinated initiatives utilizing ICTs to beneit education throughout the
continent; and
much rhetoric related to the ‘digital divide’;
there has been no consolidated documentation of what is actually happening in Africa in this area, nor
comprehensive baseline data on the state of ICT use in education in Africa against which future developments can be compared.
A lack of information impacts planning
Anecdotal evidence suggests that many African countries and donor agencies are struggling to keep track of
ICT/education projects over which they have “no control” and about which they often have little knowledge, making it unlikely that lessons learned from these projects can inform strategy and planning related to
ICT use in education going forward. Many private sector irms and civil society organizations with an
interest in supporting education programmes and technology initiatives in Africa (especially where such
projects may intersect) have expressed similar frustrations.
A need for coordination
Conversations with colleagues at a number of organizations—donors, governments, civil society, universities, and the private sector— interested in ICT and education issues in Africa suggest that many have been
contemplating similar or related types of data collection eforts in this area for some time. In order to
accelerate such activities, infoDev has coordinated with a wide variety of groups to help support and
consolidate the results from on-going data collection eforts and then share the resulting data as widely as
possible. At a minimum, we hope that this survey process should help prevent duplication of eforts, as well
as ‘survey fatigue’ on the part of potential information sources.
No consolidated information resource
Much relevant data collection has already occurred, but the results are scattered across a number of publications and databases (many of which are not widely known), held within individual organizations, not easily
accessible to the education community, and/or, where public, not widely disseminated.
his Survey of ICT and Education in Africa seeks to gather together in a single resource the most relevant and
useful information on ICT in education activities in Africa. We hope that this publication is a irst step in a
www.infodev.org
Preface v
larger, on-going, systematic, coordinated initiative to track developments in technology use in the education
sector to help inform a wide variety of stakeholders interested in the topic as they seek solutions to larger,
more fundamental educational and development challenges in the years ahead.
Michael Trucano
infoDev
vi Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
REPORT LIMITATIONS
he following limitations should be noted:
n
n
n
he Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys attempts to summarize key indings from the individual country reports produced during this project. As such, it is not an attempt to synthesize all that is
known about ICT use in education in Africa, and should be seen as a guide to key indings and assertions that emerged during the country survey processes.
he data presented in the individual Country Reports should be regarded as illustrative rather than
exhaustive. his survey was not an exercise in primary data collection. he guidelines given to country
researchers regarding report length were deliberate in order to ensure a focus on the more salient
information and to enable the completion of the project within the established time frame and the
available resources.
ICT use in education is at a particularly dynamic stage in Africa, which means that there are new
developments and announcements happening on a daily basis somewhere on the continent. herefore,
these reports need to be seen as “snapshots” that were current at the time they were taken; it is expected
that certain facts and igures presented in the Country Reports may become dated very quickly.
www.infodev.org
Report Limitations vii
PROJECT BACKGROUND
OVERVIEW
his report synthesises the indings from a survey that was initiated by the Information for Development
Program (infoDev), a multi-donor partnership housed at the World Bank which investigates issues related to
the efective and appropriate use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in developing
countries. he survey was undertaken in response to needs expressed by international donor and development agencies, private sector organisations, governments, and NGOs for a consolidated database of
information focused on the following key questions:
n
n
n
How are ICTs currently being used in the education sector in Africa, and what are the strategies and
policies related to this use?
What are the common challenges and constraints faced by African countries in this area?
What is actually happening on the ground, and to what extent are donors involved?
A similar survey was completed in 2003–2004 by UNESCO-Bangkok (Metasurvey on the Use of Technologies
in Education in Asia and the Paciic). It is hoped that this Survey will contribute to the building of a global
database on ICT and education issues in developing countries, regularly updated with the co-operation of
project stakeholders.
More complete background information on this project is available on the infoDev web site at http://www.
infodev.org/ict4edu-Africa.
THE SURVEY PROCESS
A request for expressions of interest was issued by infoDev in April 2006. he Commonwealth of Learning
(COL) was selected from among the respondents to conduct the survey, and the work began in September
2006.he work process was designed as follows:
n
n
n
he irst phase involved an extensive literature search to identify relevant extant information to inform
the data-gathering process for the preparation of reports. he resulting English language bibliography
was posted on the WikiEducator web site (http://www.wikieducator.org/ICT4EdAfrica) established
speciically to solicit public feedback on the survey project.
Researchers prepared reports on each country over a three-month period beginning January 2007. he
reports were structured to include:
n National policies, strategies, and programmes that exist in the country for the use of ICT in education
n A brief description of the current level and types of ICT infrastructure being used in the various
education sectors including primary, secondary, tertiary and non-formal
n A list of the major initiatives underway
n Identiication and description of the factors that enable and constrain the use of ICT
Data collection was largely done via desk research, using published sources on the Internet, and through
www.infodev.org
Project Background ix
n
n
telephone and e-mail discussions with country-based contacts. his was supplemented by the personal
knowledge and expertise of the ICT in education environment in the countries surveyed by regional and
country researchers.
he irst drafts of all reports were posted on the WikiEducator web site during a public comment period
from March–June 2007.
Prior to the preparation of the inal report, drafts of individual country reports and the related Summary
Report were submitted to an infoDev review panel for comment.
PROJECT TEAM
Project Managers
n
n
infoDev Project Manager: Mike Trucano, Education Specialist
COL Project Manager: Paul West, Director
Project Leaders
n
n
Shaika Isaacs, Schooling Executive, Mindset Network, Johannesburg, South Africa
Glen Farrell, Senior Consultant, COL, Vancouver, Canada
Country Report Authors
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Amr Hamdy, Manager, Business Development, American University, Cairo, Egypt
Babacar Fall, Associate Professor, Faculté des Sciences et Technologies de l’Education et de la Formation,
Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar Senegal
Harry Hare, Executive Director, African eDevelopment Resource Centre, Tanzania
Josué Tetang Tchinda, Coordinator, Musa Documentation and Information Network for Africa
(REDIMA), Douala, Cameroon
Koi Mangesi, Director of Research, Techgov, Accra, Ghana
Osei Tutu Agyenman-Duah, Principal Programme Oicer, Community Computer Centre, ECOWAS
Secretariat, Togo
Shaika Isaacs, Schooling Executive, Mindset Network, Johannesburg, South Africa
Glen Farrell, Senior Consultant, COL, Vancouver, Canada
Research Support
n
Florence Ngombo, Pretoria, South Africa
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
he project team would like to kindly acknowledge the many representatives from government, the private
sector, civil society, donor organizations, academia and the global on-line community who contributed their
time, expertise and/or knowledge to help with the research for this survey. While space does not permit all
of these people to be acknowledged here, special thanks is made to the following persons: Mohamed Saad
Laib; Pedro Teta, Dimoneken Ditutala; Kouagou Kevin; Archie Makgothi; Issa Boro; Révérien
Banteyubwoba, Laurence Jisho, Aloys Ndemeye; Martin Lolo, Claude Tangha, François Donfack, François
Giroux, Ebot Ebot Enaw, Pierre Fonkoua, Ekouma Ebo’o Emmanuel, Sidonie Ndemba, Louis Onguene
Essono; Daniel Dos Santos Lobo; Denamse Kete André; Doromon Michel; Said Omar; Anne Marie
Nzumba; Ongoka Pascal Robin, Nguimbi Etienne; Afeli Kouakou; Faith Ahmed Chamsan, Adbi Ibrahim
Haiban; Suzan Marzouk, Samia A. Mashali; Michel Esono Mansogo, Eto Nzo Angono, Fernando Nsolo
Essono; Negga Tesfai, Fisseha H; Adebayo Bamitale, Berhan Hailu, Sirak Yohannes; Roger Nzamba
Mavioga; Momodou H Njie; Rev. E. K. Dadebo, Denise Clarke; Aissata Traore; Mamadu Danfa; B.K. Sang,
x Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
Mary Mmayi, Philip Ouma Ayoo; Dlangamandla Zongezile, Paramente P. Phamotse; Yonton B. Kesselly;
Isam Saidi; Olivier Robinson, Lala Samuel Ranaivo Rakotondravelona; Ms Bessie Nyirenda; Mouhamed
Hantafaye; Amichia Bosso, Mohamedu Diaby; Prem Ramsurn, Alain Senteni; Mourad Benali, Al Hussein
Grad, Abdel Latif Farshoush; Kauxique Maganlal; Joris Komen, Johan Van Wyk; Ahmed Boreau; Nwabuzor
Monday, Mohamed Agbali, Grace Iyabo Osuman, Olufemi Adeagbo, Uwem Asomugha; Jerome Gasana,
Eugene Karangwa, Oscar Mupenzi; Frederico dos Anjos; Mbaye Diouf; Andrew Benson Greene, Jr.;
Abdullahi Duale, Farah Mohamed Jaama, Susan Nkinyangi; Trudy Van Wyk, Janet homson, Mike Chiles,
Tom Waspe, Vis Naidoo; Ibtisam M. Hassan, Yossif Altaher, Osman Hassan Arabi, Mhisen Bala; Sbongile
Kunene; Joyce Msolla, Godfrey Ponera, Elia Kibga, Paula Uimonen; Awokou Assogba, Nassoma Laye,
Arnaud Amelina, Léontine Lanyible; Gamra Zeidani; Humphrey Mukooyo; Silvia Angey Ufoyuru, Philip
Ouma Ayoo, Daniel Kakinda; Moses Mwale; Eliada Gudza; Peter Kinyanjui; Edith Adera, Alioune Camara;
Cedric Wachholz, Armelle Arrou, Jacques Guidon; Alex Twinomugisha; Kerry McNamara, Peter Materu,
Jee-Peng Tan, Bobak Rezaian, Iftekhar Islam, Arleen Seed, Shobhana Sosale, Robert Hawkins, Aidan
Mulkeen, Mavis Ampah,Valerie D’Costa, John Middleton.
www.infodev.org
Project Background xi
SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS
A NEW PHASE: FROM PROJECTS TO POLICIES
he process of adoption and difusion of ICT in education in Africa is in transition. here appears to be the
beginnings of a marked shift from a decade of experimentation in the form of donor-supported, NGO-led,
small-scale, pilot projects towards a new phase of systemic integration informed by national government
policies and multi-stakeholder-led implementation processes.
One of the primary features of this new phase is the priority that governments are giving to policy
development. All but a handful of countries surveyed already have a national ICT policy in place or
under development. While some of these national policies deine goals and implementation strategies for
ICT in the education sector, nearly half the countries have chosen to develop an ICT policy that is
speciic to the education sector. hus the new phase of ICT for education in Africa is occurring within
national, and emerging regional, policy frameworks that are providing the basis for partnerships and
donor participation.
DIFFERENTIAL IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS
While most countries have embraced policy development, there is a notable stratiication in terms of their
ability to implement. A country like South Africa, with its extant infrastructure and more mature economy,
is clearly an outlier in terms of being able to implement its ICT in education agenda.
Many of the countries of North Africa constitute another stratum that has made excellent progress because
of their resources and the high bandwidth connectivity they enjoy with Europe. Another group is made up
of those countries that are moving steadily toward stable economies and that are placing a high priority on
ICT applications. Cameroon, Ghana, Mauritius, and Botswana are examples.
he largest group is made up of those countries that are emerging from a period of conlict and authoritarian rule. hey look to ICTs to assist them in their eforts to improve capacity for social and economic
development. And, unfortunately, there remains a group of countries that are plagued with internal conlict
and political instability that make progress on ICT for education impossible.
MACRO TRENDS
here are several trends evident in the country reports that appear to be important in terms of enabling
implementation of ICT in national education systems.
Public-Private Partnerships
At the broadest level these are multi-partnerships that involve private companies (usually ICT based), one
or more government ministries, educational institutions, donor and development agencies, and civil society
organisations working together to garner resources and set priorities for ICT in education projects. he
www.infodev.org
Survey Highlights 1
Kenya ICT Trust Fund and the Egyptian Education Initiative are examples, as is the Information Society
Partnership for Africa’s Development (ISPAD) put together by NEPAD through the e-Africa Commission
and ive major ICT companies in part to implement the NEPAD e-Schools Demonstration project.
he number of bilateral partnerships between ICT organisations (e.g., Microsoft, Cisco, Intel, Hewlett
Packard) and national ministries of education to enable use of speciic ICT products has increased
remarkably.
International partnerships, particularly in higher education, exist for a variety of reasons, including the
development of ICT capacity. Two organisations that are particularly active are the Agence Universitaire de
la Francophonie (AUF) and the Partnership for Higher Education in Africa that is sponsored by seven
American foundations.
Digital Content Development
he need for digital learning materials relevant to local curricula is becoming more urgent as ICT becomes
integrated into the teaching process across the curriculum. At national levels ministries are identifying
institutional responsibilities and are beginning to encourage collaborative eforts on a regional basis. he
AVOIR project is an example.
Open Source Software and Operating Systems
Interest in Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) is growing rapidlay in Africa. A constraint in some
areas is the lack of skilled personnel available to support such systems. he Free and Open Source Software
Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA), Bokjang Bokjef in Senegal, and LinuxChix Africa are examples of
organisations promoting the use and development of FLOSS in Africa.
Regional Initiatives
A wide range of programmes and projects involve one or more African countries in varying numbers.
Examples include high-level intergovernmental, multi-stakeholder programmes such as the NEPAD eSchools Program, civil society institutions focused on networking African schools such as SchoolNet Africa
(SNA), university partnerships such as the African Virtual University (AVU), and collaborative learning
projects that directly involve learners and teachers from schools in several African countries such as the
Global Teenager Project (GTP), Mtandao Afrika (MAf ), World Links, and the International Education
Resources Network (iEARN).
National Research and Education Networks (NRENs)
here are several examples of networks that enable connectivity among universities in countries in North,
East, and Southern Africa that not only enable collaboration but allow for some cost sharing. Several of
these NRENs have formed the UbuntuNet Alliance for Research and Education Networking with a view to
becoming the research and education network (REN) backbone of Africa using optical ibre and other
terrestrial infrastructure.
International Connectivity
Several initiatives are emerging to address the fact that Africa has long been disadvantaged by the lack of
fast and afordable connectivity with the rest of the globe. One such initiative is the Eastern Africa
Submarine Cable System (EASSy) project that is focused on developing an undersea ibre optic cable that
will link the countries of East Africa to the rest of the world. Complementing this is the Africa Regional
Communications Infrastructure Program (RCIP) that is focused on the terrestrial elements of the overall
regional communications infrastructure. he RCIP initiative is inanced by the World Bank. Many of the
North Africa countries have had high-speed Internet connectivity with Europe for some time.
2 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
DANTE (Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe), through its EUMEDCONNECT project,
has developed a research network within the Mediterranean region that is providing high-speed connectivity
for institutions in Mediterranean and North Africa countries with each other.
Wireless Networks
Wireless networks are developing at a rapid rate in most countries with the goal of facilitating general access
to mobile phone technology and to broadband networks. Angola is an example of the latter, as it is upgrading its wireless network to help address growing nationwide demand for advanced wireless data services like
telemedicine and Internet access.
DONORS
During the 1990s, international donor and development agencies like the International Development
Research Centre (IDRC), the World Bank, UNESCO, UNDP, and USAID’s Leland Initiative invested in
grants for pilot projects to test the role of ICTs in promoting education and development. In a similar
endeavour, the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) invested in regional programmes
such as the Imfundo Project and (later) the Catalysing Access to Information Technology in Africa (CATIA)
project. Since 1996, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, through its establishment of Partnerships in
ICTs in Africa (PICTA), has also secured support from various donor agencies, particularly the European
Union, for the development of what was at the time referred to as National ICT Infrastructure (NICI) plans
for individual African countries. Bilateral partnerships between donor agencies and national governments
have been instrumental in the promotion of ICT access and use in education institutions. Here the Swedish
International Development Agency (Sida), USAID, and DFID have been particularly prominent in some
African countries such as Tanzania, Namibia, and Ghana.
ENABLING AND LIMITING FACTORS
A 2006 survey on the state of ICT infrastructure in African universities summed up the situation regarding
access to ICT infrastructure as “too little, too expensive, and poorly managed.”1 he country reports conirm
this statement for all parts of educational systems. However, this situation is likely to change due to factors
such as the emergence of policy frameworks, the evolution of networks, and, perhaps most importantly, the
growing commitment to ICT in education on the part of government leaders.
ENLIGHTENED LEADERSHIP
he ICT in education developments and initiatives chronicled in the country reports are due to many
factors, including the sustained eforts of a variety of organisations over the years. But it is also evident that
the shift from “projects to policies,” and the more systematic development that that implies, would not be
possible without the growing commitment to ICT in education on the part of government leaders across the
continent. he following comments are illustrative:
n
n
n
President Museveni of Uganda at the launching of the NEPAD e-Schools project: “his technology will
enable the young people of this village to tap into the mainstream of information and knowledge, where they
learn and play, expand their imagination and creativity, and collaborate with their peers across the African
continent and across the world.”
Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Ghana’s Minister of State for Education and Sports at the opening of the irst
NEPAD e-school in Ghana: “he computer should no longer be seen as a gloriied typewriter, but as a tutor,
an organiser, a presentation agent, a search agent, a data processor, a remedial and e-learning interactive
agent.”
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia speaking to an ICT conference in Addis Ababa in 2005: “We
were convinced that we should invest every penny we have on securing the next meal for our people. We did not
www.infodev.org
Survey Highlights 3
n
n
believe serious investment in ICT had anything to do with facing the challenges of poverty that kills. Now I
think we know better. We recognise that it is a vital and essential tool for ighting poverty—for beating poverty
that kills—and ensuring our survival.”
Kenya’s Education Minister Prof George Saitoti speaking at the second International Conference on
ICT for Development, Education and Training held in Nairobi, 2007: “In education, the use of ICTs ofers
new ways in which the quality, efectiveness, and in particular, the lexibility of higher education can be
improved. When integrated into education, ICTs have the capacity to improve the delivery of education
through distance learning.”
African Ministers of Education, meeting at the irst African ministerial round table on ICT for
education, training, and development in Nairobi on June 1, 2007, stated in their communiqué that:
“ICTs are seen as one key solution that will allow African countries to meet the needs in rural and underserved areas and bring education to their citizens rapidly and cost eiciently.” hey also resolved that
hundreds of thousands of teachers require ICT skills to help achieve this goal.
4 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
ICT POLICIES FOR
EDUCATION IN AFRICA
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
here is a great deal of variance in ICT policies for education among the African countries surveyed. South
Africa clearly is unique in terms of being able to move its ICT agenda forward. Several of the countries of
North Africa that have both resources and high bandwidth connectivity with Europe have also been able to
make excellent progress implementing their ICT plans. hose countries that are steadily moving to sustainable economies (Mauritius, Ghana, and Botswana, for example) constitute another group making remarkable progress.
Perhaps the largest group is made up of those countries that are in transition from a sustained period of
conlict and economic instability and are looking to ICT applications to help them meet myriad challenges—particularly the development of their human resource capacity. hey are among the neediest in
terms of assistance.
And, unfortunately, there remains a group of countries that are still plagued with political instability and
internal conlicts that make progress on the ICT for education agenda impossible.
NATIONAL ICT POLICIES
he point that future socio-economic development will need to embrace the use of ICT appears to be
widely recognised by governments throughout Africa and is evidenced by the number of countries that have
a national policy for ICT in place or under development. he data in Table 1 below indicate how the
development of these policies has progressed since the turn of the millennium.
he policies vary in several ways. First, a few, often those that have been in place for some time, are more
likely to focus on telecommunication technologies and their regulation and less on the importance of
information technologies for development (ICT4D). More typical, however, are the more comprehensive
TABLE 1: Development of National ICT Policies 2000–2007
Status of National ICT Policy Development by Country
Policy in place
Policy under development
No development underway
Total
2000*
2005*
13
10
30
53
28
15
10
53
2007**
36
12
5
53
* Source: UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), http://www.uneca.org/aisi/nici/
** Source: ICT in Education in Africa Survey Reports
www.infodev.org
ICT Policies for Education in Africa 5
policies such as those developed in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Libya. For example, Libya’s policy
focuses on:
n
n
n
n
Supporting the government's initiatives on the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Program (iPRSP)
using ICT
Standardising ICT operational systems and administrative procedures
Setting the framework to develop and implement ICT programmes in the counties and local communities
Broadening the national academic curriculum to create careers in the ICT sector and raise overall
awareness
Others, such as Mauritius, Zimbabwe, and Rwanda, are even more comprehensive. Rwanda, for example,
focuses on the following 10 pillars:
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
ICT in education
Human capacity development
Infrastructure, equipment, and content
Economic development
Social development
E-government and e-governance
Private sector development
Rural and community access
Legal, regulatory, and institutional provisions and standards
National security, law, and order
EDUCATION SECTOR ICT POLICIES AND
IMPLEMENTATION PLANS
Determining the status of development of ICT policies in the education sector was one of the primary
objectives of the survey. he breakdown is as follows:
n
n
n
n
Countries with sector ICT plan developed: 17
Countries with sector ICT being developed: 7
Countries with sector goals and strategies included in national ICT policy: 9
Countries with sector goals and strategies referenced in other plans: 6
In the last instance, “other plans” include general education development plans, national poverty reduction
strategies, telecommunication acts, national science and technology policy (Sierra Leone), and, in the case of
Mali, the plans of a central implementing agency established to implement ICTs across all sectors.
here are several faces to the concept of ICT policy in the education sector. Obviously the most prevalent is
a policy that has been developed by ministries of education. However, as noted above, education sector
policies are often embedded in the country’s national ICT policy, and, less obviously, in general policies on
education development, the policies of the national telecom authority, or national poverty reduction
strategies. Following are some speciic observations:
n
ICT policies act as catalyst for ICT policy development in education
Of the 48 countries that either have a national ICT policy in place or are in the process of developing
one, 39 of them have education sector ICT policies and plans in one form or another or are in the
process of developing them. Clearly the development of national ICT policies acts as a catalyst for ICT
policy development in the education sector. In fact in some cases (e.g., Botswana, Rwanda) the development of goals and implementation plans for the education sector has been an integral part of the larger
process of developing the national plan.
6 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Two exceptions to this generalisation are Eritrea and Equatorial Guinea, which do not have a national
ICT plan. Eritrea has nevertheless proceeded to develop its education sector policy, and Equatorial
Guinea has taken a partial step by passing a law legitimising and encouraging the use of distance
education.
Most ICT education sector policies developed since 2000
With some exceptions (such as South Africa and Mauritius) the ICT education sector policies have been
developed since the turn of the millennium. One gets the sense of a general renaissance having occurred
in ministries of education across the continent, particularly over the last ive years.
ICT policy development for education is a long and complicated process
It is also the case that the process of developing an ICT policy for education is complicated. In many
instances the policies that have been recently promulgated are the result of several years of consultation
with stakeholder groups.2
Most ICT/education policies are comprehensive
Most policies include all the sub-sectors of the education system. However, a few, such as South Africa
and Kenya, are speciically focused on the school sub-sector.
All ICT/education policies stress enhancing access, some go further
All policies surveyed emphasise the importance of enhancing access to ICT tools and Internet connectivity, developing ICT skills among young people and the general population, and the importance of
teacher training. However, the policies of some countries are even more comprehensive in that they also
stress the need for the development of digital content, education portals, and the need for content in
indigenous languages.
Donors play an important role in the policy process
he international donor community (e.g., UNECA, USAID, UNDP, AfDB, IDRC) continues to play
an important role in the policy development process, and the impact is seen in many plans in terms of
the detail which purposes, outcomes, performance indicators, monitoring and evaluation strategies, and
implementing strategies are set out. he plans developed by South Africa, Kenya, Mauritius, and
Rwanda are exemplary in that respect.
ICT/education plans aren’t always implemented
he development of plans doesn’t necessarily equate with implementation and results on the ground. In
most cases implementation remains very dependent on the support of partners from the donor community and the private sector. Indeed, some countries have set up mechanisms speciically to attract
investment in the development of ICT in education and through which to involve stakeholders in
setting priorities and allocating resources. he Kenya ICT Trust is an example.
ICT/education policies typically articulate a vision, while implementation plans focus on the practical
For many counties the ICT sector policies constitute a vision for development whereas their implementation plans need to focus on the practical and sustainable initiatives that can be taken in the shorter
term to move towards the vision. For this reason, several countries (e.g., Rwanda) have developed their
implementation plan in ive-year increments over 15 or 20 years. An interesting example of a pragmatic
approach to policy implementation is Cape Verde which has developed a plan that contains a comprehensive list of needs but, faced with a woeful lack of ICT infrastructure, is focusing on the use of radio
to provide support for teachers and enriched content for students.
POLICY MANAGEMENT
he models for managing the maintenance and implementation of ICT education sector policies were of
speciic interest in the survey. In virtually all countries surveyed, there is a government-wide steering
committee that oversees the implementation of ICT policy generally, negotiates with funding partners, and
recommends on priorities and annual budget allocations. Beyond that however, there is a great deal of
variance as indicated in the following comments:
n
Decentralised approach
Countries that decentralised or shared responsibility with states/provinces for education, such as Nigeria
www.infodev.org
ICT Policies for Education in Africa 7
n
n
n
n
and South Africa, have mechanisms in place to manage and implement policy at that level; states/
provinces have their own speciic ICT in education policies with appropriate mechanisms for implementation and management.
Centralised approach
Countries that have adopted a more centralised approach to policy development have opted to create a
new agency with a mandate to implement the policy across all sectors. Namibia, Mauritius, Botswana,
and Rwanda are examples.
Quasi-decentralised approach
Uganda is an example of a quasi-decentralised approach to policy management: the line ministries
develop their sector policies and plans, with their progress and performance being monitored by a central
agency designated by government to ensure implementation of the national plan at the sector level.
Ministry of Education role
More common, however, is the model whereby the Ministry of Education, sometimes in association
with the ministry responsible for telecommunications, takes responsibility for policy development and
implementation. Typically the ministry will have established an ICT unit, stafed with the necessary
expertise, to act as the locus of responsibility for managing the implementation of the policy.
Varied stakeholder involvement
An important variable in these models is the amount of stakeholder involvement in the process. In some
instances the process is more top down with limited stakeholder involvement. But more often, the sector
policy has evolved through an extensive process of discussion with stakeholder groups including civil
society, educators, private sector, the donor community, intra-ministerial departments, and other
ministries of government. In these instances the management model tends to relect the process of policy
development in that stakeholder involvement is maintained through a ministry-led steering committee
that ensures co-ordination and advises the ministry on priorities and implementation strategies—which
may include agreed-upon implementation roles for stakeholders such as NGOs. Examples are found in
Kenya, Namibia, and Ghana.
8 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
ICT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR
EDUCATION IN AFRICA
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
Most countries surveyed have, or are in the process of, liberalising their telecommunications policies to
enable more competition and diversity of service providers in the industry. While this is having the efect of
lowering the cost of access to information and telecommunication infrastructure, the costs of connectivity
remain unafordable for most education institutions. Furthermore, there are huge gaps between urban and
rural areas in terms of access to ICT infrastructure.
Access to a reliable supply of electricity is a general problem but is particularly severe in rural areas because
of the diiculty of connecting to national electrical grids. here is a general lack of human resource capacity
to provide ICT training and equipment servicing, and there is also a lag between the availability of ICT
infrastructure and the ability of agrarian societies to integrate it to beneit national development. Djibouti,
for example, is at the forefront with a digital telecom network with two earth stations and the landing point
for three undersea cables linking to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. However, the country has yet to
develop an ICT education sector policy and has generally not yet beneited from these assets.
Nevertheless, the Country Reports describe myriad initiatives that demonstrate that rapid changes are
underway—and that there are many instances where this generalised picture does not apply:
n
n
n
n
n
he availability of mobile phone technology is increasing at a remarkable rate.
Wireless networks are becoming increasingly common.
Undersea cable projects such as the EASSy project are being planned to provide global connectivity for
countries that currently lack such access.
A variety of public-private partnerships are emerging, particularly in the form of ICT trusts designed to
encourage investment and stakeholder participation in ICT infrastructure development in education.
(See the country reports for Kenya, Namibia, and Sudan for examples.)
In the national ICT policies of several countries (notably Rwanda, Mauritius, Algeria, and Botswana),
there is a declared intention to become a regional ICT service hub.
However, it is worth noting that, with the development of ICT infrastructure, comes the problem of e-waste—
electronic or electrical equipment that has been discarded or has become obsolete. his includes old, end-oflife computers, cell phones, TVs, and radios. E-waste is reportedly one of the fastest growing forms of waste
around the world. he United Nations Environmental Program has estimated that up to 50 million metric
tons of e-waste are generated every year. Recently, the United Nations has called for policies to protect
African countries from unregulated imports of e-waste.3
Schools and universities across Africa have experienced signiicant use of second-hand and refurbished PCs
obtained from groups like Computer Aid International, Digital Links, and World Computer Exchange.
his has led to the establishment of local PC refurbishment and technical service centres in a few African
www.infodev.org
ICT Infrastructure for Education in Africa 9
countries. In addition, a very limited number of initiatives and groups have been established in Africa to
recycle e-waste products and develop strategies to raise awareness about them. In South Africa, the
Information Technology Association has partnered with the Swiss State of Economic Afairs and the eWaste Association of South Africa to play a leading role in developing an efective e-waste model for the
country.4
INFRASTRUCTURE IN HIGHER EDUCATION
With the exception of South Africa, Mauritius, and most of North Africa, African universities are seriously
constrained in the use of ICT by a lack of computer stations and a lack of access to afordable high-speed
Internet connectivity. Indeed, the 2006 African Tertiary Institutions Connectivity Survey (ATICS) summed
up the situation as “too little, too expensive, and poorly managed.” he survey report goes on to say that
“the average African university has bandwidth capacity equivalent to a broadband residential connection
available in Europe, [and] pays 50 times more for their bandwidth than their educational counterparts in
the rest of the world.”5
hese challenges are being addressed through the development of national research and education networks
(NRENs) that, at national levels, will enable connectivity among universities and, eventually all educational institutions. Examples include Morocco’s X.25 Gateway which connects 14 universities to the
Internet, the national network of education and research (RENER) in Burkina Faso, and Libya’s higher
education and research network (LHERN) that connects universities and other institutions. Other NREN
examples are described in the reports for Botswana, Djibouti, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia,
and Rwanda.
he expectation is that by linking these networks to undersea cables via regional networks, global connectivity will be a reality and costs can be reduced to sustainable levels. he Eastern Africa Submarine Cable
System (EASSy) project and the Africa Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (RCIP) project
are examples of these initiatives.
he NREN linking initiative is also being led by the UbuntuNet Alliance that has been established to
provide a research and education backbone for Africa based on the emergence of optical ibre and other
terrestrial infrastructure opportunities.6
Another example of the development of global connectivity networks is the DANTE (Delivery of Advanced
Network Technology to Europe) initiative, through its EUMEDCONNECT project, that has developed a
research network within the Mediterranean region providing high-speed connectivity for institutions in
Mediterranean and North Africa countries.
Wireless networks are emerging as a cost-efective way of establishing connectivity among and within in
higher education institutions. he report on Guinea cites an example where the primary universities have
created wireless networks to link their central campus with their several remote campuses.
Universities are also developing their own internal ICT policies. Many of the South African universities are
examples, with several having policies on the manner in which ICT is expected to be integrated into the
teaching/learning process. Others have policies on the management of ICT functions. Stellenbosch
University has an “e-campus” strategy encompassing all related activities, and the University of Pretoria has a
Telematics Learning and Education Innovation plan.
he African Virtual Open Initiatives and Resources (AVOIR) project is a collaborative efort involving
higher education institutions from Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania,
and Uganda in the development of products and expertise in free and open source software. One of the
products developed and deployed among the institutions is KEWL.Nextgen e-learning platform.7
10 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
INFRASTRUCTURE IN SCHOOLS
African Ministries of Education have begun to be more proactive in co-ordinating and leading the development of ICT infrastructure in school systems as their ICT policies and implementation plans have taken
shape. However, civil society, principally NGOs working with donor agencies, continues to play a major role
in providing computers to schools and lobbying governments to take a leading role. hat said, their eforts
have been frustrated by the lack of connectivity, inconsistent electrical supply, and lack of technical support
services—particularly in rural areas. he ICT policies place a great deal of emphasis on providing ICT
infrastructure to secondary schools and, eventually, to primary schools as well. But implementing these
policies and plans will require time and major infusions of resources.
he country reports highlight to a number of phenomena:
n
n
n
n
Student fees
One of the ways schools try to provide sustainable access to ICT infrastructure is to assess additional
student fees. While this may be manageable in some contexts, the practice is widely criticised as discriminatory for those who can’t aford it.
Using ‘old’ technologies
he reports for Guinea, Togo, and Djibouti provide examples of how “old” ICT technologies are being
used to support teachers and students. Guinea has a radio-based National Distance Teaching Service that
uses radio broadcasts, audiocassettes, and print materials that are produced by the National Institute for
Pedagogical Research. he project is supported by USAID. Togo uses an FM radio network to provide
supplementary curriculum content for teachers, and Djibouti has a school radio broadcast for secondary
schools focused on math and science content.
Satellite-based networks
Egypt has a seven-channel satellite-based network with receive centres in schools and administrative
centres, plus mobile centres that provide support for remote schools in the areas of primary, preparatory,
secondary, and technical education plus languages and general knowledge. here are also channels
dedicated to upgrading teachers and for literacy programmes.
Low-cost computing pilots
A number of pilots on low-cost computers in schools are emerging. hese include the One Laptop per
Child (OLPC) project that involves the distribution of a $175 laptop made of tough white and green
plastic, and which has a four-hour battery, a colour screen, and built-in Wi-Fi. OLPC is currently
running pilot projects in South Africa and Nigeria.
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR NON-FORMAL EDUCATION
AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC
Public access to ICT is available to various extents in most of the larger urban centres in Africa through
cyber cafés, but access is largely non-existent in rural areas. Most of the national ICT policies in Africa
identify the need to provide access for the general population as an essential ingredient for development. A
common strategy for doing so is the establishment of local centres that provide access to computers and
Internet connectivity, and often to TV and peripheral services such as printing, cassettes, and DVD
players. Training and information dissemination activities related to ICT, literacy, health, markets, and
government services are often part of the operations of such centres. he following are illustrative of
examples in the reports:
n
n
Madagascar is establishing “ICT villages” with a digital classroom, health centre, and community ICT
access.
Mozambique has community multimedia centres resulting from a merger between existing telecentres
and some radio stations.
www.infodev.org
ICT Infrastructure for Education in Africa 11
n
Mauritius uses a leet of “cyber caravans” to take ICT facilities to remote areas.
However, as far as non-formal education is concerned, the predominant infrastructure used is still the “old”
technologies of radio and television.
12 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
ICT ACTIVITIES AND INITIATIVES
IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN AFRICA
TECHNICAL/VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING
As used here, the term higher education refers to both universities as well as post-secondary institutions that
provide technical and vocational (TVET) programmes. However, in terms of ICT applications, the conclusion from the reports is that there has been relatively little application of ICTs in the TVET sub-sector either
as a teaching tool or to enhance access to programmes. he conclusion is corroborated in a statement by the
Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and the Commonwealth Association of Polytechnics in Africa (CAPA)
in advance of a seminar they co-sponsored in Sierra Leone in May 2007 that focused on integrating ICT
and e-learning into TVET:
Although ICT and e-learning is gaining ground as an efective pedagogical tool in higher education, TVET
institutions and polytechnics in Africa are lagging behind. he reason appears to be lack of knowledge and
expertise in the use of these new technologies in the area of technical and vocational training, and the
absence of institutional and country policies on the integration of ICT and e-Learning into TVET.
he point is further supported by the fact that the irst-ever TVET summit was held prior to the Second
International Conference on ICT for Development, E-learning and Training held in Nairobi in May 2007.
his summit was organised by UNESCO-UNEVOC and focused on access to and inclusion in TVET in
Africa through new ICT-based solutions.
UNIVERSITIES
Generally speaking, the capacity of African universities to lead the process of integrating ICT in education,
as has been the case in most of the developed world, is woefully inadequate. hey lack access to infrastructure, afordable and suicient bandwidth, and the human resource capacity to exploit the technology. (hese
constraints are summarised in more detail in another section of this report.) As a result, African universities
are lagging behind in the global ICT context. he exceptions are universities in South Africa, and most of
those in North Africa, where they have well-developed international relationships along with access to highspeed connectivity.
he Association of African Universities states that the development and application of ICT in African higher
education institutions is critically important if the continent is to reduce the knowledge, technological, and
economic gaps between itself and the rest of the world. he survey reports indicate that this is starting to
happen, as the following points illustrate:
n
With some exceptions (such as Kenya), universities are typically included in the ICT policies that
have been developed. In instances where they have not they are urged to develop their own ICT
policies.
www.infodev.org
ICT Activities and Initiatives in Higher Education in Africa 13
n
n
n
n
n
n
Institutional policy development is being supported by the Association of African Universities, by
regional bodies such as the Inter-University Council for East Africa, and through a growing number of
partnerships with foreign universities in North America, Europe, Australia, and, more recently, India.
It is notable that governments are looking to their primary universities as the nodes for leadership in
implementing national ICT policies as well as those in the education sector. Makerere University in
Uganda and the National University of Rwanda are examples.
Africa has largely not seen the inlux of for-proit, ICT-based foreign providers of higher education seen
in others parts of the world. However the interactions, collaborations, and partnerships between African
and foreign universities are increasing—many of them enabled by ICT and by a resurgence of donor
interest in higher education.
here are two international organisations that deserve special mention because of their work in fostering
innovative ICT applications. One is the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), which is
extremely active in facilitating partnership arrangements between African francophone universities and
ones in France, Canada, and other parts of the French-speaking world. he other is the Partnership for
Higher Education in Africa, an initiative supported by seven major foundations in the US with the
objective of accelerating the processes of comprehensive modernisation and strengthening of universities
in selected countries in Africa. One of the Partnership’s seven major goals focuses on the use of ICT.
While not exclusively focused on ICT, the Development Partnerships in Higher Education programme
(DELPHE) initiated by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) is likely to result in
a number of projects that aim to enhance the ICT capacity of universities. he programme provides
support for partnerships between higher education institutions in the UK and those in participating
countries in Africa working on collaborative activities related to the MDGs.8
hree Rwandan universities (the National University, the Kigali Institute for Education, and the Kigali
Institute for Science and Technology) and the University of Nairobi have partnered with Google to
improve access to Web-based communications for staf and students. his will allow free access to
Google applications.9
DISTANCE EDUCATION AND e-LEARNING
IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Traditional print-based distanceducation, assisted by radio and TV, is not new to many parts of Africa,
particularly South Africa, Mauritius, and Tanzania, and print remains the predominant delivery tool for
distance education in Africa, as the incorporation of the more modern ICTs in the process is constrained by
a lack of infrastructure and afordable connectivity in many parts of the continent. Nevertheless, there are
numerous examples of innovative applications of ICT in distance education strategies with the result that
the terms “e-learning,” “virtual universities,” “open universities,” and “virtual schools” are appearing in policy
and planning documents. he country reports cite numerous examples of the growing adoption of ICTs
across the continent:
n
n
n
he rate of adoption is extremely variable. A 2003 survey commissioned by the Association for the
Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) Working Group on Distance Education and Open
Learning found that while the Internet and CD-Roms were used in 35% of francophone institutions,
only 5% of anglophone and 0% of lusophone institutions were using them.10 hese results are somewhat
skewed by the fact that universities in North Africa enjoy much better connectivity with Europe.
he work of the AUF is also inluencing ICT adoption in francophone institutions. For example, the
AUF has created a centre in Lomé, the capital of Togo, that serves four higher education institutions
with 50 computers and high-speed connectivity that enables students to take e-learning courses from
institutions throughout the francophone world. his model has been replicated in several other francophone countries in Africa.
he African Virtual University (AVU) has established more than 30 learning centres through its partnerships with higher education institutions in 19 countries ofering a variety of courses with a primary
emphasis on teacher training and upgrading.
14 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
n
n
he reports for Libya, Morocco, Sudan, and Tunisia all cite the development of virtual or open universities with the one in Sudan being speciically focused on teacher training. he Moroccan Virtual Campus
works with Moroccan universities to enhance access for students.
he University of Mauritius has established a centre for lifelong learning that includes a centre for
distance education and another one for innovative learning technology.
CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
At this juncture it appears that less attention is being paid to the development of digital learning materials in
higher education than to the schools sub-sector. his is perhaps not surprising, given that the lecturer in the
university classroom has always had far more independent control over content than the teacher in a school
classroom. Most of the efort to enhance access to content in universities is focused on gaining access to
afordable, high-speed Internet connectivity for faculty and students rather than on developing materials at
the institutional level, or through collaborative partnerships among universities or countries. Egypt,
however, has an ICT project that designs e-learning courses and has established a digital library that serves
all universities.
Another interesting development is the COL-led Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth
(VUSSC) project that aims to create post-secondary skills-related courses in areas such as tourism entrepreneurship, professional development, disaster management and a range of technical and vocational subjects.11
hese courses are being created under Creative Commons copyright using WikiEducator, which enables the
materials to be readily adapted to the speciic context of each country and used in the ofering of creditbearing qualiications in the countries’ post-secondary institutions. he participating African countries are
Botswana, Comoros, he Gambia, Lesotho, Namibia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, and Swaziland. Staf from
selected universities in those countries are being trained to develop content for inclusion in the database.
www.infodev.org
ICT Activities and Initiatives in Higher Education in Africa 15
ICT ACTIVITIES AND INITIATIVES
IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY
SCHOOLS IN AFRICA
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
he formal schools sector has historically led the way on ICTs in education in most African countries, often
before national policies have been adopted. South Africa, Namibia, Senegal, Mali, Cameroon, Nigeria,
Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda are a few examples. In these cases, the initiation of ICT access in schools has
been supported by large programmes like the World Bank’s World Links for Development, which worked
mainly in partnership with ministries of education, SchoolNet Africa, and the IDRC’s Acacia programme.
hese initial small-scale projects have been taken to the next level by national programmes that are
promoting ICT access to all schools. Much of the emphasis is on secondary school access in almost all
countries.
A salient feature of national ICT and ICT for education policies in a number of African countries is the
promotion of computer science or information technology as a school-based subject in addition to the
access, use, and integration of ICTs within the school systems. Botswana, Mauritius, Seychelles, South
Africa, and Zambia are countries that have taken such promotion on. he inclusion of schools in national
education management and information systems within ministries of education is an added feature of
national ICT for education strategies in countries like Botswana and South Africa.
EQUIPMENT AND CONNECTIVITY
All African countries with national policies on ICTs in education make detailed and speciic reference to
issues of universal ICT access and use in all formal schools. Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, South
Africa, and Zambia are examples. hese programmes have been given further impetus by high-level panAfrican programmes such as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) e-Schools Initiative,
which is concluding its irst phase Demonstration Project involving 16 African countries. In Lesotho, this
initiative catalysed national interest at the highest level of government.
Table 2 illustrates the range of technologies being used to provide connectivity in some form.
he country reports highlight the following trends:
n
Computers labs in schools
he dominant ICT access model in schools is the computer lab, involving between one and 40 computers, most of which are networked either by thin client or fat client, although some are standalone PCs as
in Mali and Cameroon. hese computers are used both for administration as well as support tools to aid
teaching.
www.infodev.org
ICT Activities and Initiatives in Primary and Secondary Schools in Africa 17
TABLE 2: Access and Connectivity Models
Technology/Connectivity
Project and Country
Radio
OLSET (South Africa), KIE (Kenya)
Television broadcast
Mindset (South Africa), Learning Channel (South Africa
Talk Back TV (Botswana)
Ethiopian Ministry of Education
Centre for Technology Development and Decisionmaking Support
(Egypt)
Video
Discovery Channel Global Education Fund (Angola, Tanzania,
Uganda, Zimbabwe)
DVDs and CDs
Learnthings Africa, CurriculumNet Uganda, Mindset (South Africa)
Second-hand PCs
Schoolnets in Cameroon, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria,
Senegal, Swaziland, Zambia Zimbabwe
PC refurbishment centres
SchoolNet Africa and GEEP(Senegal), World Links (Zimbabwe)
Computers for Schools Kenya, SchoolNet Uganda, Computer
Education Trust (Swaziland), SchoolNet Namibia
Dial-up Internet
SchoolNet Cameroon,
Satellite datacast
Mindset (South Africa)
Broadband Internet
Mauritius Ministry of Education and Ministry of IT
VSAT connectivity
SchoolNet Uganda, NEPAD e-Schools (Mali, Uganda, Rwanda)
Mobile phones
Teacher SMS Project (Kenya), Math on MXit, Meraka Institute (South
Africa); M-Girls, Mindset (South Africa)
OpenLab (SchoolNet Namibia); SchoolNet Mozambique
Open source software
n
n
n
Television
Some countries have used television broadcast as a medium for delivery of education content, as is the
case with Mindset Network and the Learning Channel in South Africa, the Talk Back TV on HIV/AIDS
programme in Botswana, and the Centre for Technology Development and Decision-making Support in
Egypt. In Ethiopia, classrooms are equipped with plasma screens and already receive lessons via video
broadcast for eight hours a day by satellite TV. Multichoice Africa has also supported access to a range of
educational channels which include National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, the History Channel,
and Mindset Learn via satellite broadcast in a number of African countries via its own programme as
well as the NEPAD e-Schools Demonstration Project.
Organisations like the Discovery Channel Global Education Fund have provided television, video,
and education content resources to small numbers of schools in countries such as Angola, Tanzania,
Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
Radio
Organisations like the Open Learning Systems Education Trust (OLSET), based in South Africa,
developed audio- and print-based distance education programmes for direct use in classrooms.
Interactive radio instruction has also been used extensively by organisations like the Kenya Institute of
Education, which has a radio broadcast studio and which has reached up to 400 schools via satellite
radio in partnership with WorldSpace.
Used computers
Many countries have used second-hand and refurbished PCs sourced from groups like Computer Aid
International, Digital Links, SchoolNet Africa, and World Computer Exchange. Schoolnet organisations
in Cameroon, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have
18 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
n
n
n
n
n
n
sourced second-hand and refurbished PCs and have imposed minimum speciications when obtaining
the PCs. In these cases organisations like SchoolNet Namibia, SchoolNet Mozambique, World Links
Zimbabwe, SchoolNet Nigeria (in partnership with organisations like the Education Tax Fund),
Computers for Schools Kenya, and SchoolNet Uganda have established PC refurbishment centres or
technical services centres that support the deployment of computers, maintenance, and support to
schools.
VSAT
Some countries have experimented with very small aperture terminal (VSAT) solutions that enable
remote access through the use of satellite and help overcome limitations imposed by vast distances and
rugged terrain. SchoolNet Uganda initiated a pilot with 11 schools in 2001 that brought some beneits
but that also proved expensive and unsustainable. he private sector consortia in the NEPAD e-Schools
Demo Project promoted VSAT solutions in some countries such as Mali and Senegal.
Electricity
Lack of access to electricity, especially in rural schools, is an added challenge that some countries have
confronted. For example, SchoolNet Namibia piloted the use of solar panels in schools. In Nigeria
schools have invested in generators to accommodate regular power outages. he NEPAD e-Schools
Demo Project also made use of generators in Uganda.
Mobile phones
More recently, mobile phones have been used for learning in South Africa with the piloting of the Math
on MXit and MobilEd programmes by the Meraka Institute. In Kenya the use of short message system
(SMS) among teachers has also been tried.
Multi-channel learning
Organisations like Mindset Network in South Africa have introduced a multiple platform approach in
the distribution of its locally produced electronic education content to schools. hese include satellite
broadcast and satellite datacast which accommodate video on demand, content servers networked to
PCs, DVDs, the Web, and more recently, mobile devices.
Open source
Almost all countries surveyed have made use of both open source and proprietary software solutions. In
South Africa, even though the government supports open source software, it also has an agreement with
Microsoft that promotes free Microsoft software for all schools. his agreement will be under review
shortly. SchoolNet Namibia has been in the forefront in promoting FLOSS in schools through the
promotion of its OpenLab model
Internet access
Many schools that do have computers still do not have access to the Internet. he Internet can provide a
wealth of learning resources that many African schools at present are not yet able to access because the
cost is prohibitive. In South Africa, for example, of the estimated 6,000 schools that have access to PCs,
only an estimated 2,500 have Internet access.
Connectivity solutions include legislation promoting an e-rate that ofers discounted access to the
Internet for schools, even though in some countries (e.g., South Africa) such legislation has faced
implementation challenges. In Lesotho, the Ministry of Education has negotiated, at least in principle,
Internet access to schools at reduced rates. In Senegal, Sonatel makes discounted Internet access available
to schools, and in Namibia, an agreement between SchoolNet Namibia and Telecom Nambia provides
24/7 lat rate access to all schools.
Some countries have begun the evolution to broadband access that also supports schools. Mauritius is
considered a “cyber island” in this context as 90% of the island to date can be considered a “hot spot”
with wireless Internet access. In Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Telecommunication Corporation and a host of
partners established a state-of-the-art multimedia broadband backbone infrastructure with a core nucleus
of 4,000 kilometres of optical ibre. his same network has provided a backbone for the irst phase of the
schoolnet initiative in that country.
Table 3 below provides some estimates of numbers of schools reached with computers in a sample selection
of African countries. Notably, the NEPAD e-Schools project has targeted the reach of Africa’s full comple-
www.infodev.org
ICT Activities and Initiatives in Primary and Secondary Schools in Africa 19
TABLE 3: Computer Penetration Ratios at Schools in Selected African Countries,
2006
Country
Egypt
Ghana
Mozambique
Namibia
South Africa
Number of
schools
Schools with
computers
Percentage schools
with computers
26,000
32,000
7,000
1,519
25,582
26,000
800
80
350
6,651
100%*
2.5%
1.1%
22.1%
22.6%
*Based on figures obtained from the Ministry of Education in Egypt, 2006.
ment of formal schools—estimated at 600,000—which has been factored into its recently developed
business plan.
TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
TRAINING PROGRAMMES
Research conducted by SchoolNet Africa, the Commonwealth of Learning, and the International Institute
for Communication and Development (2004) identiied an estimated 61 diferent ICT-related teachertraining and professional development programmes, projects, and courses under way in Africa. Since then,
additional national and regional teacher professional development programmes have emerged. It is diicult
to estimate the numbers of teachers with access to ICTs and who have been trained in their use for learning
and teaching.
Most countries surveyed have had some investment in developing the capacity of teachers to use ICTs as a
teaching and learning resource through both in-service and pre-service programmes. Most teacher-training
programmes in Africa involve the development of basic ICT skills, sometimes as an end in itself, although in
some cases these include the application of ICTs as a learning tool for teachers.
Teacher training often involves one-of, topic-led, short-term training programmes that aim to develop
speciic skills of teachers, but which do not necessarily comply with professional standards of competency
development. Training programmes run by Mtandao Afrika and the Global Teenager Project are among
these. However, the systematised, initial, continuous, coherent, and modular process of professional development of African educators in accordance with professional competency standards and frameworks is making
its way in many African countries through the use of ICTs.12
UNESCO’s Teacher Training Initiative for Sub-Saharan Africa (TTISSA) and the African Virtual University
(AVU) Teacher Education Project feature among the most signiicant, multi-country regional programmes
promoting teacher professional development and ICT integration. TTISSA is a high-priority programme on
teacher professional development in Africa scheduled for 2006–2015 with a focus on supporting the 46 subSaharan countries on restructuring national teacher policies and teacher education. Its main aim is to
increase the number of teachers and to improve the quality of teaching in Africa, and it considers the use of
ICTs as a strong component of the programme. he AVU established an ambitious teacher education
project which involves 10 African countries in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and
the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in 2006. he programme focuses on mathematics
and science education and the integration of ICTs in and across the teaching of the curricula in these two
subject areas. he intention is to contribute to the growth of more and better quality teachers through the
use of lexible, open, distance, and e-learning methodologies at an afordable cost for diploma, undergraduate, and graduate levels. he speciic objectives of the project are to enhance the capacity of teachers in the
20 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
use of ICTs in teaching and learning of mathematics and science, to develop the capacity of teachers to
deliver ICTs as a subject in secondary education, and to increase the number of mathematics and science
teachers by expanding access to training through the open, distance, and e-learning methods.13
he Educator Development Network of SchoolNet South Africa is a good example of an on-line learning
model that includes introductory training, materials comprising 20 diferent modules, virtual communities
of up to 20 teachers, mentor support for groups and individuals, tracking and archiving through an
established database, a Web portal of resources for teachers, and recognition of teacher progress by means of
a certiicate of completion for those teachers who complete six introductory modules and credits towards an
Advanced Certiicate of Education ofered by the University of Kwazulu Natal.
A recent development is South Africa’s plan to introduce a dedicated Advanced Certiicate of Education
model on ICT integration that will be delivered by its higher education institutions and that will be
compulsory for school principals.
Whilst many teacher professional development and training programs in Africa focus on in-service teachers,
there is also a shift towards the inclusion of pre-service teacher development on ICTs in education.
Tanzania’s attempt at linking all its teacher training colleges for this purpose is a case in point.
he e-Africa Commission that manages the NEPAD e-Schools initiative has also developed a comprehensive
conceptual framework for teacher training and professional development in Africa.
CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
he local development of indigenous digital or electronic education content in Africa is very limited. Within
a formal school education context, this often refers to the development of digital curriculum content aligned
with or directed by national curriculum frameworks. In addition to print-based media, there are also
examples of the use of video, audio, and computer-based multimedia formats.
n
n
n
n
Audio
In Kenya, the development of audio-based curriculum content is widespread under the leadership of
the Kenya Institute of Education. his role is also played by the Open Learning Systems Education
Trust in South Africa, which produces audio content for use by teachers in a number of African
countries.
Video
In South Africa, Mindset Network and the Learning Channel specialise in the development of curriculum-aligned video content in a range of subject areas ofered in South African schools. In Botswana, the
Mochudi Media Centre also trains teachers in the development and use of video content.
Multimedia content
here is a growing trend towards the development of curriculum content in multimedia format. In
Uganda, the work of CurriculumNet, a project of the National Curriculum Development Centre in
partnership with the International Development Research Centre, invested in the development of local,
digitised curriculum content in school-based subjects like mathematics in multimedia format.
Organisations such as Learnthings Africa specialise in the development of multimedia content in a range
of subjects that have been used extensively in the NEPAD e-Schools Demo Project in a number of
countries. Similarly, Mindset Network in South Africa has developed multimedia content directed by
South Africa’s National Curriculum Statement in new subjects like information technology for both
primary and high school.
Local content development
he need to develop local digital content is recognised in most of the ICT education sector policies.
Several policies specify the agency to assume responsibility for this role. Typically an existing agency that
previously had the responsibility for developing print-based curriculum materials assumes this function.
www.infodev.org
ICT Activities and Initiatives in Primary and Secondary Schools in Africa 21
n
n
n
n
n
his plan may be problematic unless it is accompanied by an intensive staf development programme in
designing materials for e-learning.
Localisation
In the absence of expertise and capacity to develop indigenous content, there have been attempts at reversioning content produced for an international audience and localising it for use at local level. he
Skool.Com project of Intel is a case in point where multimedia content has incorporated local examples
in an attempt to promote contextual relevance.
International content
Short of producing content locally or localising content produced elsewhere, there has also been a
tendency to adopt international content for use in African classrooms. National Geographic and the
Discovery Channel are good examples. he Discovery Channel Global Education Fund has promoted
the use of Discovery content in countries like Zimbabwe and Angola; in the latter, content has been
made available in Portuguese. he importation of content of this nature appears to be a growing trend.
Learning objects
In addition to the design and development of digital curriculum content, the systematic codiication,
storage, and management of digital education content is also a growing issue in Africa. he concept of
“learning objects” has been introduced, referring to learning resources that can be used for intended
learning outcomes and reused in a range of learning environments.14 he African Virtual University has
partnered with the Commonwealth of Learning in the development of an African Learning Object
Repository.
Intellectual property
Digital content has either been produced as proprietary content, which is often copyrighted, or licensed
under the Creative Commons, which allows for a range of options to render it free and open for
adaptation. he establishment of the African Digital Commons to promote Creative Commons is a
recent phenomenon that has been established as part of a growing trend towards open education
resources. Open educational resources include learning objects such as lecture material, references and
readings, simulations, experiments and demonstrations, as well as syllabuses, curricula, and teachers’
guides.15
Education portals
he establishment of education portals has also been a feature of learning management systems. he
South African Department of Education established its hutong portal as a gateway for aggregating
learning objects and resources for use by South African teachers.
COST MODELS
he promotion of total cost of ownership (TCO) models has become increasingly popular for ICTs in
education in the schools sector. Key examples include:
n
n
n
n
research supported by CATIA:
consultative discussions, research, and workshops organised by SchoolNet Africa’s Campaign for One
Million PCs;
the TCO model developed by SchoolNet Namibia; and
the TCO model and work done to date by the Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative (GESCI),
and more recently by the NEPAD e-Schools project.
hat said, utilization of TCO models in the planning and assessment of ICT and education initiatives in
Africa remains quite low.
22 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
ICT ACTIVITIES AND INITIATIVES
IN NON-FORMAL EDUCATION
IN AFRICA
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
he use of ICTs in non-formal education is relatively disparate across Africa. Many of programmes focus on
developing ICT literacy among targeted communities: the unemployed; underprivileged youth; women;
rural communities; and, in some cases, civil society organisations. Some are distance learning programmes,
and many ofer face-to-face training courses, some of which are accredited, while others provide certiicates
of attendance.
n
n
n
n
n
n
Radio
In some countries, radio is used to disseminate education programmes to poor communities. Sierra
Leone is one example of this.
Internet
Guinea is an example of a country conducting adult literacy programmes via the Internet.
Open schools consortium
A number of countries in southern Africa have established an open schools consortium that involves a
range of institutions providing secondary education through distance learning. heir focus is on preparing
learners to secure sustainable livelihoods by improving their academic qualiications and providing
training to create and maintain income-generating opportunities. hese institutions will be sharing their
resources and experience in developing academic and vocational education programmes and materials.
Mobile Internet vehicles
Mauritius has introduced a Cyber Caravan Project that is aimed at making ICT facilities available in the
most isolated areas in Mauritius. he Mauritian National Computer Board operates two cyber caravans,
which are equipped with nine and 10 PCs respectively and Internet connection. Training is provided on
board based on the needs of the communities and includes ICT literacy and awareness courses, including one speciically targeted at children. he cyber caravan is also used to ofer free skills training for
unemployed people in an attempt to increase their prospects for employment. Zimbabwe has also used
mobile Internet buses (“Big Blue”).
Computer kiosks
An initiative that can be considered the South African equivalent of the “hole in the wall” project piloted
in India, known as the Digital Doorway, introduces computer literacy to rural and disadvantaged
communities by making computer equipment and open source software available in the form of
computer kiosks to enable people to experiment and learn without formal training and with minimal
external input. hese kiosks will be rolled out to 122 sites across the country.
ICT literacy
A number of civil society network organisations run digital literacy or ICT awareness programmes for
targeted groups, organisations, and individuals. SangoNet and WomensNet in South Africa, WougNet in
www.infodev.org
ICT Activities and Initiatives in Non-formal Education in Africa 23
n
n
Uganda, Kubatana.Net in Zimbabwe, the Community Education Computer Society (CECS) in South
Africa, and AngoNet in Angola are a few examples operating predominantly in the southern African
region. Kenya has the Mkuru Promotion Centre, which develops ICT skills, particularly for underprivileged youth.
Community learning centres
UNESCO has assisted with the establishment of community learning centres in ive African countries.
he project provided the centres with digital radios, data interfacing equipment, and technical backup,
and the centres were set up to enable large numbers of local learners to participate in a course on
telecentres. he course was delivered using the Combined Live Audio and Slide Show (CLASS) technology of WorldSpace Corporation.
Videoconferencing
Egypt has a video-conference distance learning centre that links 27 sites across the country to provide
learning facilities in remote areas.
24 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
GENDER EQUITY AND ICT
IN EDUCATION
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
A signiicant body of work demonstrates that ICTs are not gender neutral and that gendered power relations
are inherent in the production, distribution, and consumption of ICTs, even within education systems
because they take place through institutions with socially embedded gender relations.16, 17, 18 his perspective
is relected to some extent in the ICT environment in Africa. It has been argued that the digital divide in
Africa is also a gender divide, as evidenced through extensive diferential access, use, and production of
digital technologies between girls and women in comparison with boys and men. A study commissioned by
World Links for Development found that, in reality, it is harder for girls to access computer laboratories,
particularly in Uganda and Ghana, especially after school hours.19 hese indings have been corroborated by
other notable studies 20,.21
POLICY ENVIRONMENT
n
n
n
n
n
n
A study conducted by the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women in 2002–2003
revealed Guinea to be the only country in Africa with an ICT policy that comprehensively covers gender
equity concerns.22
A few examples with speciied references to gender equity and the empowerment of women are:
n Mozambique’s ICT policy adopted in 2000;
n South Africa’s telecommunications policy;
n both Ghana’s National and sectoral education policies; and
n Benin’s, Zambia’s, Kenya’s, Tanzania’s, and Uganda’s national ICT policies.
In cases where reference to gender equity has been made, they range from dedicated chapters on gender
equity that promote women in decision-making, e-commerce, content development, training, and
applications (Mozambique), to references to women in the context of human capital development with a
women’s desk as a prerequisite for every ministry (Tanzania), to addressing “gender mainstreaming” and
gender balance (Uganda).23
In some cases, implementation strategies are inconsistent with policies related to gender equity. For
instance, while Mozambique’s ICT policy relects a gender equity perspective, its ICT implementation
strategy is silent on these issues with women mentioned only with reference to being victims of pornography, abuse, and violence on the Internet.24
In other instances, countries with no explicit reference to gender equity in their national ICT policies
have programmes targeted speciically at women. Mauritius is one example; it has a dedicated ICT
literacy programme targeted speciically at women who are certiied for attendance at the end of their
training, but no explicit mention is made of gender equity or women’s empowerment in its ICT policy.
A few countries like Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Comoros, Madagascar, and Malawi make no
explicit references to gender in their national ICT policies.
www.infodev.org
Gender Equity and ICT in Education 25
GENDER MAINSTREAMING AND TARGETED APPROACHES
Conscious interventions to promote gender equity and women and girls’ empowerment have focused on
awareness-raising, capacity-building among women and girls, and the development of gender-responsive
policy.
Some projects across Africa have adopted gender mainstreaming strategies that make the diferential
concerns of women and men an integral part of the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of
policies and programmes in all spheres. SchoolNet Africa has demonstrated consistent integration in practice
of a gender equity and women’s empowerment perspective within its universal access teacher and learnerbased programmes. In addition to attempts to engender the ICT for education agenda through the adoption
of a gender mainstreaming approach, SchoolNet Africa also promoted preferential treatment of women and
girls and the development of a cadre of women leaders as part of a strategy for awareness raising and
challenging unequal gender power relations. One dedicated project, SchoolNets in Africa: he Female Face,
documents stories of leading women digital pioneers in African education in an attempt to demonstrate how
ICTs have contributed to the empowerment of women and shifts in perceptions on the capability of
women.
Organisations like the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) have a Women’s Networking
Support Programme (WNSP) with active members in Africa such as WomensNet in South Africa and the
Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET). hese have been instrumental in lobbying for gender inclusion
in ICT policy at national and international levels including at the World Summit on the Information
Society along with and as part of the WSIS Gender Caucus. APC has also developed a gender evaluation
methodology to support gender evaluations.
Some projects have developed targeted approaches to the development of girls and women, as three examples show:
n
n
n
In Angola, a UNICEF-supported EMIS project aims to track girls’ participation in schools.
SchoolNet Namibia leads the way in promoting home access to computers for Namibia’s teachers, 75%
of whom are women. It also established a dedicated comic magazine with positive female heroes and role
models promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality in the use of ICTs.
SchoolNet Uganda has trained women teachers in PC refurbishment.
Fair use policies involve guidelines established and accepted by school management that encourage gender
equitable access and use of ICTs in schools.25 he case has been made for the adoption of fair use policies in
schools that promote equitable access to PC labs.26 A number of African schools have adopted use policies
for their computer labs, but the adoption of gender-responsive fair-use policies exist mainly in theory at this
stage. he African SchoolNet Toolkit produced by SchoolNet Africa and the Commonwealth of Learning
takes an important step in promoting this approach.27
26 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
FACTORS ENABLING AND
CONSTRAINING ICT USE IN
EDUCATION IN AFRICA
he factors enabling and constraining ICT applications are essentially the same in both developed and
developing economies, although they obviously difer in terms of importance, depending on which side of
the digital divide they are viewed from. What diferentiates the rate of adoption and difusion of ICT in
education is not the factors at play, but rather the degree to which they have been developed or are present
in a given country.
Table 4 provides a general picture based on the country reports.
TABLE 4: Enabling and Constraining Features Affecting ICT Implementation
Factors
Enabling Features
Constraining Features
Policy framework and
implementation plans
Most countries have developed, or are in the process
of developing, a road map for the incorporation of
ICT in their education systems. Some have detailed
implementation plans with priorities and timetables and
measurable indicators in place.
The predominant focus is more on the development of
ICT operational skills than on the integration of ICT in
pedagogical practice.
Advocacy leadership
Progress in the development of policies and implementation plans has typically had champions for ICT
in education from various sources: the office of the
president, line ministers and senior staff, and from civil
society such as women’s and country-based schoolnet
organisations.
Advocacy needs to be both visionary and practical in
the sense of not raising expectations beyond what is
possible in the near term.
Gender equity
A few policies promote gender equity in terms access
to ICT and the development of ICT competencies.
A larger number of policies do not consider gender
equity issues at all and many implementation strategies
have not considered the promotion of gender equity.
Infrastructure and
access
Cyber cafés in urban areas provide public access for
those who can afford to pay. Access for secondary
and tertiary education institutions is growing rapidly
in urban areas through wireless networks. Growth in
mobile phone technology is also growing rapidly.
The major constraints are inconsistent or unavailable
supply of electricity, lack of ICT equipment, overcrowding of computer labs, and lack of affordable access to
connectivity with acceptable bandwidth.
Collaborating
mechanisms
Collaboration models are emerging at national levels
to involve stakeholders in policy development and
implementation, to encourage investment in ICT development, and to share access to, and cost of, network
accessing.
The notion of international collaboration on matters of
content development, training, support services, etc. is
not yet being explored aggressively.
(Continued on next page)
www.infodev.org
Factors Enabling and Constraining ICT Use in Education in Africa 27
TABLE 4: Enabling and Constraining Features Affecting ICT Implementation
Factors
Enabling Features
Constraining Features
Human resource
capacity
The need to train teachers in the use of ICT, to develop
ICT user skills among education administrators, and
a capacity to provide local support for ICT users is
recognised in the policies and plans.
The shortage of skills limits the implementation process.
Fiscal resources
Governments are starting to recognise the need for
investment and many now have ICT-related line items
in their annual budgets.
The lack of resources is a serious limitation in all countries. There is a general dependence on donors for the
implementation of policy.
Learning content
Initiatives to develop on-line content repositories of
freely available learning materials are becoming commonplace in the global world of education. These are
likely to be adopted on a regional basis in Africa.
The lack of local digital content is a general problem.
There is currently substantial reliance on content from
the private sector. There is a need to develop materials
in indigenous languages. The predominant use of
English on the Internet is also constraining.
Procurement
regulations
While a few countries have modified their policies
to eliminate or reduce import duties on ICT equipment and software, this has yet to be adopted as
widespread practice.
Attitudes
Unlike many parts of the developed world, staff and
teachers appear to be more welcoming of the prospect
of ICT in education.
Governments can encounter inter-ministerial jurisdiction
issues regarding the control and management of ICT
applications.
Sustainability
There are many examples of schools with ICT equipment and connectivity to the Internet developing
services for the wider community on a cost-plus basis in
order to generate revenue.
Meeting the ongoing costs of maintaining equipment,
staff training, connectivity, content materials acquisition, and development and consumables is a major
challenge. Some governments are allowing an ICT
surcharge to be levied on students, but that is discriminatory. Planners need to improve their analysis of the
true cost of ownership of the ICT models they adopt.
28 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
ICT IN EDUCATION IN
AFRICA: A WAY FORWARD
his survey has demonstrated that the progress being made in the adoption and difusion of ICT in
education throughout Africa, particularly in these early years of the 21st century, is remarkable. However, in
terms of broad impact on learners, the process is just beginning. What follows are some suggestions and
comments regarding actions in key areas of ICT in education that will be important to attend to as the
adoption process continues. As well, suggestions for a strategy to maintain and enhance the currency of the
data that has been gathered are included.
MOVING FORWARD ON IMPLEMENTATION OF ICT
IN EDUCATION
n
n
n
n
n
Monitoring implementation
here are many excellent models of comprehensive ICT in education policies that can be pointed to as
examples of good practice in an African context. It would be useful to monitor the implementation of
policies in selected countries in order to investigate the processes used to determine if there are lessons to
be learned.
ICT as the ‘silver bullet’
here are a few countries that continue to have a rather singular emphasis on the development of ICT
infrastructure as the “silver bullet” for achieving socio-economic development. However, as noted in a
recent study cited in the Electronic Journal on Information Systems in Developing Countries, investment in
ICT by itself does not foster human development, but must be accompanied by investment in education
and health as well.28
Total Cost of Ownership
he eforts of organisations such as Global e-Schools and Community Initiatives, schoolnets, and
NEPAD e-Schools to develop “total cost of ownership” models for ICT in education are exemplary and
should be supported. hey need to be backed by good inancing models that encourage budgetary
commitment on the part of governments and incorporates multi-partnership, multi-stakeholder
approaches.
ICT in Education vs. Education in ICT
While the practice of equipping schools with computers and using them to teach computer literacy and
use packaged content to augment teaching is useful, the goal of fully integrating ICT in educational
administrative and pedagogical processes will continue to be constrained by the lack of access to ICT
infrastructure, afordable connectivity with suicient bandwidth, and a reliable supply of electricity.
Teacher professional development
Teacher training needs to involve much more than the development of computer literacy skills. Teachers
need to be able to design and adapt content materials to suit student needs, to search and manage
information, and to be aware of the ethics and dangers inherent in the use of ICT technologies. hese
are some of the ways in which ICTs need to be integrated into continuing teacher professional development and training programmes. he NEPAD e-Schools project in its Framework for Teacher
www.infodev.org
ICT in Education in Africa: A Way Forward 29
n
n
Professional Development and Training, the African Virtual University’s (AVU) Teacher Education
Project, and UNESCO’s Teacher Training in Sub-Saharan Africa (TTISSA) programme serve as good
examples of continuous, integrated approaches to teacher development in the use of ICTs.
Pan-African collaboration
he opportunities for regional, and perhaps continental, collaboration in the development of digital
learning materials are huge in terms of the quality of the content, their relevance to the lives of learners,
and the cost savings that would result from shared development. Cross-border collaborative content
development models are emerging rapidly in other parts of the world and are beginning to emerge in
Africa. he open education resources movement is growing apace in Africa supported by groups like the
Hewlett Foundation. Organisations such as Learnthings Africa and Mindset Network have engaged in
capacity-building programmes to promote local digital content development.
Leadership
he importance of strong leadership in efectively implementing ICT in education is evident from many
of the country reports. Building African leadership capacity in this sector will be instrumental in the
continuing success of education development on the continent.
CONTINUING TO BUILD AN INFORMATION BASE FOR ICT
IN EDUCATION IN AFRICA
his survey was intended to gather information about the adoption and difusion of ICT in education in
Africa in a few key areas. While the results need to be interpreted in the context of the limitations described
in the ‘project background’ section of this report, the survey marks the irst time that such data have been
gathered and presented in one place. In order for the currency of the data to be maintained, and the
database to continue to grow, the following suggestions are ofered:
n
n
n
Keeping information current
Developments in ICT applications in education in Africa are happening on a daily basis, with the result
that the data of the sort collected in this Survey will become dated very quickly. While on-line tools
(such as WikiEducator) could be used to keep the data current, the experience from this survey process
indicates that it would require an animation strategy that was supported by all stakeholders in order to
be successful. here is an opportunity for infoDev and its partners to take exemplary leadership to
demonstrate how these collaborative on-line tools can be used to develop information databases and
keep the data current.
Evaluation
he literature pertaining to ICT in education is mostly descriptive of projects and initiatives, and while
this is very useful, there is a paucity of data from well-designed evaluation and research studies—
particularly in Africa. he developments chronicled in this report provide a myriad of venues for the
conduct of such studies across the continent which would provide information that would be of
immense value to both practitioners and decision-makers.
Resource bibliography
A bibliography was developed to assist the regional researchers in the preparation of their country
reports, and consideration should be given to identify how this resource might be used a broadly as
possible. One option would be to incorporate it into an existing bibliographic project focused in ICT in
education such as that currently being led by the South African Association for Distance Education
(SAIDE).
30 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
NOTES
1. Steiner, R., T. Nyaska, M. Jensen, and G. Karanja. “African Tertiary Institution Connectivity Survey
(ATICS).” World Bank Institute. http://www.gesci.org/iles/Connectivity%20in%20African%20tertiary%2
0institutions.pdf
2. See Mwololo Waema, T. 2005. “A Brief History of he Development Of An ICT Policy In Kenya,” in
At he Crossroads: ICT Policy Making In East Africa. IDRC. http://www.idrc.ca/openebooks/219-8/#page_
25
3. Kezio-Musoke, David. 8 June 2007. “UN takes a byte to save Africa from e-waste.” Highway Africa
News Agency. http://hana.ru.ac.za/article.cfm?articleID=1429
4. Grant, L. 2007. “Electronic Waste on World Environment Day.” Tectonic. http://tectonic.co.za/view.
php?id=1568
5. Gakio, Karanja. 2006. “ African Tertiary Institutions Connectivity Survey (ATICS) 2006 Report.”
http://www.gesci.org/iles/Connectivity%20in%20African%20tertiary%20institutions.pdf
6. UbuntuNet Alliance for Research and Education Networking (website). http://www.ubuntunet.net/
7. Welcome to AVOIR (website). http://avoir.uwc.ac.za/avoir/index.php?module=cms
8. he British Council. “Development Partnerships in Higher Education” (website). http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-delphe-what-is-delphe.htm
9. Chege, Kimani. 26 March 2007. “East African universities to gain from web tools deal”. SciDevNet.
http://www.scidev.net/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=readnews&itemid=3508&language=1
10. Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) (web site) http://www.adeanet.org
11. he Commonwealth of Learning. 2007. “A Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth
(VUSSC)”. http://www.col.org/colweb/site/cache/bypass/pid/100?print=1
12. Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative. 2006. “Towards A GeSCI Initiative on Teacher
Professional Development in Africa.”
13. http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:ehwLd82mwH0J:www.avu.org/documents/Fact-Sheet.pdf+ict+educati
on+madagascar&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=za
14. Mills, S. 2002. “Learning About Learning Objects with Learning Objects.” League for Innovations CIT
Conference 2002, Long Beach, California. http://www.alivetek.com/learningobjects/site_paper.htm
15. Wiley, David. 3 February 2006. “he Current State of Open Educational Resources”. http://opencontent.
org/blog/archives/247
16. UNDAW, ITU, UN ICT Task Force. 2003. “Information and Communication Technologies and heir
Impact on and Use as an Instrument for the Advancement and Empowerment of Women.” UNDAW,
New York.
17. Marcelle, G. M. 2000. “Transforming Information and Communication Technologies for Gender
Equality.” Gender and Development Monograph Series. No 9. UNDP.
18. Isaacs, S. 2005. “Empowering Women in the Information Society: Towards a More Concerted Global
and Local Efort.” In Maitland +20 Fixing the Missing Link. he Anima Centre, UK.
19. Gadio, C. 2001. Exploring the Gender Impact of World Links. World Links, Washington, DC.
20. Derbyshire, H. 2003. Gender Issues in the Use of Computers in Education in Africa. Imfundo, London
21. Isaacs, S. 2002. “It’s Hot for Girls.” Paper presented at Expert Group Meeting on Information and
Communication Technologies and heir Impact On and Use As An Instrument for the Advancement
and Empowerment of Women. Seoul, Korea. http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/ict2002/reports/
Paper%20by%20Isaaks2.PDF
www.infodev.org
Notes 31
22. UNDAW, ITU, UN ICT Task Force. 2003. “Information and Communication Technologies and heir
Impact on and Use as an Instrument for the Advancement and Empowerment of Women.” UNDAW,
New York.
23. Huyer, S. 2005. Gender and ICT Policy.
24. Ibid.
25. Derbyshire, H. 2003. Gender Issues in the Use of Computers in Education in Africa. Imfundo, London.
26. Gadio, C. 200. Exploring the Gender Impact of World Links. World Links, Washington, DC.
27. Schoolnet Africa. (website) http://www.schoolnetafrica.net/1500.0
28. Electronic Journal on Information Systems in Developing Countries. 2007. Vol. 29, No. 5, 1–15. http://
www.ejisdc.org
32 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
ANNEXES
www.infodev.org
Notes 33
34 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
ANNEX 1:
REGIONAL ICT IN EDUCATION
INITIATIVES IN AFRICA
A wide range of programmes and projects on ICTs in Education in Africa have activities that involve one or
more African countries in varying numbers. hese range from high-level intergovernmental, multi-stakeholder programmes such as the NEPAD e-Schools initiative, to institutions focused on networking African
schools and universities such as the African Virtual University (AVU), to collaborative learning projects that
directly involve learners and teachers from schools in several African countries such as the Global Teenager
Project (GTP) and the International Education Resources Network (iEARN).
An illustrative (non-exhaustive) list of prominent organisations active in supporting and promoting technology-related activities in the education sector in Africa is provided below. Individual country activities are
described in respective country reports available in this Survey.
African Academy of Languages | www.alacan.org
he African Academy of Languages is a pan-African organisation that was set up in 2001 by Mali’s then
president Alpha Konare. It was established under the auspices of the African Union to promote Africa’s
many indigenous languages. One of its major projects relates to the promotion of African languages in
“cyberspace” and particularly the use of local languages in education in Africa.
African Development Bank | www.afdb.org
he African Development Bank (AfDB) is a membership-based, regional multilateral development inance
institution that mobilises resources to support the economic and social development of its member countries. he AfDB has an education policy which promotes support for basic, vocational, and adult education
and training. he AfDB also supports the use of ICTs in education in Africa. To date the AfDB has assisted
with open, distance, and e-learning capacity development centres and connectivity provision at Africa
Virtual University (AVU) partner institutions to support teacher training and development programmes and
to mainstream gender issues, as in the AVU Support Project.
African Virtual University (AVU) | http://web.archive.org/web/20060426202907/www.avu.org
Initially a project of the World Bank and now an independent intergovernmental organisation, the AVU is
an innovative education institution based in Nairobi, Kenya, that services 57 learning centres in 27 African
countries. he AVU works with universities based in Africa and other countries such as the US and Australia
to provide academic programmes and short courses through open and distance e-learning. he AVU also
boasts a digital library that provides resources to African academics and students.
AMD | www.amd.com
AMD is a leading global provider of innovative processing solutions in the computing, graphics, and
consumer electronics markets. AMD introduced the 50x15 Initiative which is an attempt to promote
afordable, accessible Internet connectivity and computing capabilities for 50% of the world’s population by
2015. AMD has introduced its personal Internet communicator (PIC) device which it deployed to African
schools through its support for the NEPAD e-Schools programme. In Africa, AMD led a consortium of
companies in the promotion of the NEPAD e-Schools Demonstration Project in ive African countries
(Cameroon, Gabon, Mali, Senegal, and Uganda) where they promoted their 50x15 devices.
www.infodev.org
ANNEX 1: Regional ICT in Education Initiatives in Africa 35
Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) | www.adeanet.org
ADEA is a network of partners promoting the development of efective education policies based on African
leadership and ownership. ADEA has produced research and guidebooks on the use of ICTs in education
such as Towards and Information System for Non Formal Education: A Practical Guide.
Computer Aid International | www.computeraid.org
Headquartered in the UK with a dedicated African regional programme comprising oicers in Southern,
Eastern, Central, and West Africa, Computer Aid International specialises in sourcing and distributing
professionally refurbished computers for re-use in education, health, and not-for-proit organisations in
Africa and other developing countries. To date Computer Aid International has distributed more than
80,000 PCs to developing countries.
Computers for African Schools (CFAS) | www.cfas.org.uk
CFAS is a registered charity in the UK that mobilises computer donations from irms and computer users
and distributes them to schools in Southern Africa through partner organisations based in Malawi, Tanzania,
Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Cisco Systems | www.cisco.com
Cisco Systems is a global company that promotes networking for the Internet. In Africa, Cisco is a leading
partner in the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) e-Schools programme to which it
contributed human and inancial resources. Cisco led a consortium of companies in this project in which
it promoted the installation of networking equipment for Internet access and satellite connectivity in
schools in Algeria, Ghana, Mauritius, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa. It also promoted the use of
digital education content and teacher training in these countries. In addition, Cisco has established a
Networking Academy programme that trains students to design, build, and maintain computer networks. A
number of Networking Academies have been established in Africa in countries like, Ghana, Mauritius,
and Nigeria.
Commonwealth of Learning (COL) | www.col.org
he Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is an intergovernmental organisation created by Commonwealth
heads of government to encourage the development and sharing of open learning/distance education
knowledge, resources, and technologies. COL has historically assisted with the development and support of
national ICT for education policies in some African countries that form part of the Commonwealth, and
have promoted the growth of national schoolnet organisations through networking workshops, action
research, and the publication of guidebooks such as the African SchoolNet Toolkit which it produced in
partnership with SchoolNet Africa. COL is also spearheading the establishment of a Virtual University for
Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) which involves a number of small states in Africa and which
serves as a network committed to the collaborative development of free content resources for education.
COL is also involved in a programme on ICTs in support of technical vocational education and training in
Africa in partnership with UNESCO.
Department for International Development (DFID) | www.did.gov.uk
DFID is the oicial ministry within the British government that promotes the ight against world poverty.
DFID supports numerous bilateral programmes in Africa in support of education, the Education For All
objectives, and the Millennium Development Goals. With particular reference to ICTs in education in
Africa, DFID has in the past established organisations such as Imfundo, which has developed a knowledge
bank of research on the experiences related to ICTs in education in Africa; DFID has also supported
research done by the TESSA programme.
Digital Links | www.digital-links.org
Digital Links is headquartered in the UK with oices in South Africa and Tanzania. hey provide an IT
disposal service to UK companies, and refurbish computers for re-use in schools, NGOs, and small enter-
36 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
prises in Africa and the developing world. To date, Digital Links has distributed more than 50,000 PCs to
developing countries
Edubuntu | www.edubuntu.org
Edubuntu involves a group of people who distribute a complete Linux-based operating system to schools for
classroom use, with future versions being made available for university use. Edubuntu also provides community-based support. Edubuntu philosophy promotes free and open source software and espouses that
software should be freely available, that software tools should be usable by people in their local language,
that software should be used anyone including people with disabilities, and that people should have the
freedom to customise and change their software in whatever way they see it.
eGranary Digital Library | http://www.widernet.org/digitallibrary/
Supported by partnership between the Hewlett Foundation, USAID, and the McArthur Foundation, among
others, the eGranary Digital Library provides millions of digital educational resources to institutions that do
not have adequate Internet access. hey deliver digital education resources by gaining permissions, copying
Web sites, and delivering them to intranet Web servers in their partner organisations in Africa and other
developing countries. hey recently initiated satellite data broadcasting to deliver digital resources to African
education institutions.
eLearning Africa | www.elearning-africa.com
eLearning Africa is an international conference on e-learning which is hosted annually by the government of
an African country. he main focus of these conferences is on the experiences of ICTs in education in Africa
relative to the rest of the world. he conference is organised by ICWE and Hofmann & Reif Consultants.
In 2006 the conference was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; in 2007 it was held in Nairobi, Kenya; and in
2008 it will be held in Accra, Ghana.
Free and Open Source Software Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA) | www.fossfa.net
FOSSFA was launched in February 2003 as a network of practitioners, professionals, and organisations
promoting the use of free and open source software for Africa’s development. FOSSFA has an education
subdivision focused on the promotion of open source solutions in education in Africa
Geekcorps | www.geekcorps.org
IESC Geekcorps is an international non-proit organisation based in the US that promotes digital skills
transfer and independence through various programmes that involve volunteers with technical expertise.
Geekcorps has supported a few programmes in Africa such its Last Mile Initiative in Mali, which promotes
telecommunication-based business models for people without ICT access in rural areas, and the Digital
Freedom Initiative in South Africa, which promotes the beneits of ICTs to small businesses.
Global Development Learning Network (GDLN) | www.gdln.org
he Global Development Learning Network (GDLN) is a global partnership of approximately 120 learning
centres that provide tools and services in support of distance learning through ICTs. Learning centres based
in a number of African countries, including Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda, form
part of the GDLN network.
Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative (GeSCI) | www.gesci.org
Promoted by Ireland, Switzerland, Sweden, and Canada, GeSCI was established in 2003 by the United
Nations ICT Task Force in an attempt to raise global standards of education for communities in the
developing world and to help make the UN Millennium Development Goals a reality. In Africa, GeSCI has
focused its work in Namibia and Ghana by supporting policy development and implementation. It has
expanded its work to Kenya and Rwanda as well. GeSCI has also developed knowledge products such as a
toolkit on total cost of ownership.
www.infodev.org
ANNEX 1: Regional ICT in Education Initiatives in Africa 37
Global Teenager Project (GTP) | www.globalteenager.org
he Global Teenager Project is an initiative of the Dutch-based International Institute for Communication
and Development (IICD). It was launched in 1999 to promote the use of ICTs in the classroom. he
project focuses on collaborative learning among secondary school students and teachers from around the
world through a safe, structured virtual environment known as “learning circles.” hus far the project
involves about 3,000 teachers and students from 200 classes in over 29 countries. he most participants are
from Africa, involving learners, teachers, and schools from 12 countries.
Hewlett Foundation | www.hewlett.org
Based in San Francisco, the Hewlett Foundation provides resources in support of activities in education,
environment, global development, performing arts, and population. In Africa, the Hewlett Foundation has
promoted the development of open education resources, and it supported the AVU in the development of a
comprehensive open educational resources architecture to ensure the eicient application of the open
content movement in African higher education and training institutions. It also supported the Meraka
Institute in South Africa to promote the development of a collection of papers describing the use of open
educational resources in tertiary education, in primary and secondary schools, and within communities in
South Africa.
Highway Africa | www.highwayafrica.ru.ac.za
Highway Africa is an annual ICT conference hosted by Rhodes University in South Africa. Each year, more
than 500 delegates from across the globe attend the conference to discuss issues relating to Internet governance, ICT policy, and media for democracy. Highway Africa also produces a weekly on-line bulletin, the
HANA Weekly Digest, which documents progress in ICT for development, including ICTs in education in
Africa.
International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Acacia |www.idrc.ca
he IDRC is based in Canada and its Acacia programme, which was established in 1996, seeks to empower
sub-Saharan communities with the ability to apply ICTs to their own social and economic development.
he IDRC has supported a number of pilot projects and action research in the area of ICTs in education,
particularly the initial establishment of schoolnet organisations in some African countries.
International Education Resources Network (iEARN) | www.iearn.org
iEARN is one of the largest and oldest global networks of teachers and learners that use ICTs in a diverse
range of collaborative learning projects. All iEARN projects are designed, initiated, and run by teachers and
learners. Its network in Africa involves learners and teachers from schools in 29 countries.
International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD) | www.iicd.org
he IICD is a non-proit foundation based in the Netherlands that specialises in ICTs for development. he
IICD has supported a number of programmes such as its Global Teenager Project as well as projects
supporting teacher development through ICTs in Tanzania and ICT for education policy processes in
Zambia.
Intel | www.intel.com
Intel is a global company focused on silicon innovation and development of technologies, products, and
initiatives, to continually advance how people work and live. Intel’s education eforts centre on improving
teaching and learning through the use of ICTs. he focus is on advancing math, science, and engineering
education and research. Intel also works with education leaders worldwide on solutions that support the
creation of 21st century skills. heir programme, Intel Teach, which is currently running in Ghana, Egypt,
Nigeria, and South Africa, has reached four million teachers in 40 countries and is targeted to reach 10
million by 2011. Intel recently announced its new Intel World Ahead programme, a project to provide
cheaper computers to schools and boost wireless Internet links. Target countries in Africa are Egypt, Ghana,
Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.
38 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
LinuxChix Africa | www.africalinuxchix.org
LinuxChix Africa was formed in 2004 by a group of African women to promote the development of free
and open source software, particularly Linux skills.
Microsoft | http://www.microsoft.com/education/
Working closely with worldwide education communities, Microsoft has developed technology, tools,
programmes, and solutions to help address education challenges while improving teaching and learning
opportunities. In countries like Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa, Microsoft has promoted low-cost access to
software for schools. In addition, Microsoft established its Partners in Learning programme and its related
Innovative Teachers Network which supports teacher development projects in a number of African countries.
Mtandao Afrika | www.mtandao-afrika.org
Formerly known as hinkQuest Africa, Mtandao Afrika holds a n Internet challenge contest for African
youth. he contest focuses on the collaborative development of educational Web sites by youth who work in
multinational teams and who are awarded prizes by a panel of international judges.
NEPAD e-Schools | www.eafricacommission.org
his initiative aims to impart ICT skills to young Africans in primary and secondary schools as well as
harness ICT technology to improve, enrich, and expand education in African countries. he aim is to equip
all African primary and secondary schools with ICT apparatus such as computers, radio and television sets,
phones and fax machines, communication equipment, scanners, digital cameras, and copiers, and to connect
them to the Internet. Each school will be equipped with a “health point.” which encourages the use of the
schools’ ICT resources by the broader community. NEPAD e-Schools is currently concluding its irst Demo
project which involved 16 African country governments collaborating with ive consortia companies in the
provision of ICT resources to six schools in each of the 16 countries.
One Laptop per Child (OLPC) | www.laptop.org or www.olpc.com
OLPC is a non-proit organisation set up to promote a low-cost laptop, known as the “$100 laptop,” in an
attempt to promote access to the technology to the world’s children to support their learning. To date
interest has been expressed by governments in Libya, Nigeria, and Rwanda.
Panafrican Research Agenda on the Pedagogical Integration of Information and Communications
Technologies (ICT) | www.observatoiretic.org/
A knowledge network, initiated by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), bringing
together partners in eleven African countries to help researchers, practitioners, and institutions to collect and
share data.
Peace Corps | www.peacecorps.gov
Peace Corps is an organisation based in the US that encourages US citizens to volunteer their time to work
in developing countries in areas such as HIV/AIDS, information technology, and business development. In
the ICT for education sector, Peace Corp volunteers have been stationed in a number of African countries to
assist with the provision of technical training and support to groups and organisations that use ICTs in
education.
Schoolnet Africa | www.schoolnetafrica.net
SchoolNet Africa is an NGO-based in Senegal that promotes education through the use of ICTs in African
schools. SchoolNet Africa functions as a network of schoolnet organisations operating in 33 countries on the
basis of regional programmes on ICT access, teacher training, and collaborative learning. To date SchoolNet
Africa has produced a range of research reports on the experiences of African countries on the use of ICTs in
schools.
www.infodev.org
ANNEX 1: Regional ICT in Education Initiatives in Africa 39
Teacher Education for Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA) | www.tessaprogramme.org
TESSA is a partnership led by the Open University and the African Virtual University that includes a range
of African universities, the Commonwealth of Learning, and the BBC Trust. It is a research and development programme that creates open multimedia resources for sub-Saharan African teachers and teachereducators. To date TESSA has introduced a BBC radio programme that debates the role of teachers in
improving quality primary education and produced a toolkit for educators and planners on designing open
and distance learning for teacher education in sub-Saharan Africa.
Teacher Training Initiative for Sub-Saharan Africa (TTISSA) | www.unesco.org/education/TTISSA
TTISSA is a 10-year programme co-ordinated by UNESCO aimed at improving national teacher policies
and strengthening teacher education in 46 sub-Saharan African countries. It is designed to support the
development of national teacher education systems in African countries to produce more and better quality
teachers.
Ubuntu Alliance for Education and Research Networking | www.ubuntunet.net
UbuntuNet Alliance has been established to capitalise on the emergence of optical ibre and other terrestrial
infrastructure opportunities and thus become the Research and Education Network (REN) backbone of
Africa. Tertiary education and research institutions throughout the rest of the world are connected to the
Internet using fast, low-cost ibre.
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) | www.uneca.org
he Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) was established by the United Nations to promote the
economic and social development of its member states, foster intra-regional integration, and promote
international co-operation for Africa’s development. UNECA has historically led the African Information
Society Initiative (AISI) since 1996 and has been instrumental in supporting the development of national
information and communication infrastructure (NICI) policies and plans in a number of African countries.
Since 1999 UNECA has also adopted the formation of an African Learning Network which incorporated
the formation of SchoolNet Africa, Out of School Youth Network, and Varsity Network.
United Nations Educational, Scientiic and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) | www.unesco.org
UNESCO is the UN’s specialised agency for education. UNESCO has had a range of programmes and
projects to support the use of ICTs for development, speciically in education. UNESCO promoted the
establishment of telecentres and community learning centres in a number of African countries. More
recently UNESCO has promoted the development of a regional programme on technical and vocational
educational education and training through the use of ICTs in Africa, in partnership with the
Commonwealth of Learning. UNESCO also leads the TTISSA programme.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) | www.usaid.org
USAID was among the irst donor agencies to support ICTs in education. hrough its Leland Initiative in
1996, USAID provided grant aid for pilot projects in a number of African countries. USAID later supported the establishment of the Dot Com Alliance for e-learning and e-governance programmes in Africa
such as the Network for Capacity Building and Knowledge Exchange project.
he World Bank | www.worldbank.org
Headquartered in Washington, DC, the World Bank is an international development institution that
provides low-interest loans, interest-free credit, and grants to developing countries for education, health,
infrastructure, communications, and many other purposes. he World Bank has historically supported a
variety of programmes and projects for education through ICTs. hese include the African Virtual
University, World Links for Development, and the Global Development Learning Network.
World Computer Exchange | www.worldcomputerexchange.org
40 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
Headquartered in the US, the WCE sources secondhand computers and support services to partner organisations in developing countries. To date the WCE has established 289 partners in Africa from 25 countries
and has sent 42 shipments of computers to these countries.
World Links | www.world-links.org
World Links is an independent organisation headquartered in Washington, DC spun of from the World
Bank to promote ICTs in education in schools in developing countries across the world. In Africa, World
Links has historically been a pioneering organisation in the promotion of ICT access and teacher development in eight African countries through various programmes and partnerships.
www.infodev.org
ANNEX 1: Regional ICT in Education Initiatives in Africa 41
ANNEX 2:
A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF
ICT IN EDUCATION IN AFRICA
Please note: his bibliography was developed during the initial phase of a survey initiated by the
Information for Development Program (infoDev) , carried out in partnership with the Commonwealth of
Learning (COL). he primary purpose of the bibliography was to assist researchers compiling country
reports on the state of ICT use in education in Africa in early 2007, it is being shared here in case it might
be useful to others and, more importantly, that others will add items and ofer suggestions for improvement.
he items in this collection have been selected on the basis that they provide data about ICT in education
policy development and implementation processes; current projects; constraints in implementing ICTenabled education; available infrastructure, teacher professional development and training; and digital
education content development. he bibliography is therefore a potpourri of studies, evaluation reports,
government policy documents, news items, and reports from other surveys that have been written since
2000.
Additional resources are listed at the end of each of the 53 country reports.
his bibliography should be regarded as a work in progress. It has been posted on the WikiEducator site
(http://www.wikieducator.org/ICT4EdAfrica) established to support the survey process; we welcome your
input in suggesting additional resources.
Sections:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
General ICT in Education References
ICT Infrastructure
Primary and Secondary Education
Tertiary Education
Non-formal Education
Distance Education and Open Learning
Gender and ICT
1. GENERAL ICT IN EDUCATION REFERENCES
“African Virtual Open Initiatives and Resources (AVIOR).” http://avoir.uwc.ac.za/avoir/index.
php?module=cms.
AVOIR is a collaboration project between various universities to create a core of free software developers who
are able to create educational and business opportunities that contribute to development on the continent. he
site provides current information about projects and activities.
“Africa’s e-Learning Program in ICT Policy and Regulation.” 2005. DOT COMments e-newsletter. Issue 14.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/print_article.php?article_id=138.
he Network for Capacity Building and Knowledge Exchange (NetTel@Africa) has created a unique on-line
learning programme that is changing the way policymakers think about ICT policy reform.
Beebe, M.A. et al. (eds.) 2003. Africa Dotedu: IT Opportunities and Higher ED in Africa. New Delhi, India:
Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. http://www.africadotedu.org/.
www.infodev.org
ANNEX 2: A Selected Bibliography of ICT in Education in Africa 43
his book chronicles and analyses the growth of the Internet in Africa, provides descriptions of regional
initiatives, and highlights the role of ICT in higher education in selected countries.
“Bushnet.” http://www.bushnet.
his wireless high-speed data network, called Ten by Ten, is currently supporting a range of users across
Uganda, including donor-funded teaching colleges, government organisations and commercial enterprises.
Butcher, N. “Technological Infrastructure and Use of ICT in Education in Africa.” December 2003.
Working Group on Distance Education. http://www.adeanet.org/publications/docs/ICT_eng.pdf.
A comprehensive report on existing technology used in education in 14 sub-Saharan countries as of
2000–2001. It includes data on teacher training, tertiary education, primar, /secondary and ABE.
Casely-Hayford, L. and P. Lynch. October 2003. “A Review of Good Practice in ICT and Special Education
Needs for Africa.” An Imfundo Knowledge Bank Initiative. http://imfundo.digitalbrain.com/imfundo/web/
papers/sen/?verb=view.
he study was based on existing research on the global use of assistive technology and ICT-based resources
within the special needs sector with particular reference to the African context..
“dot-EDU (Digital Opportunity through Technology and Communication Partnerships-Learning
Systems).” International Education Systems. Project dates: 2001–2007. http://ies.edc.org/ourwork/project.
php?id=3219&topic=13.
dot-EDU is ICT intervention mechanism for USAID missions seeking to improve education systems in their
respective countries.
Draft National Information and Communications Technology Policy. January 2005. Ministry of
Communication, Science and Technology, Republic of Botswana. http://www.maitlamo.gov.bw/docs/draftpolicies/ict_policy_draft_jan_2005.pdf
Esselaar, P. Et al. November 2001. “A Country ICT Survey for Tanzania.” Swedish International
Development Agency (Sida). http://www.eldis.org/cf/search/disp/docdisplay.cfm?doc=DOC10280&resource=f1.
his paper presents the results of a survey of ICT availability, usage and needs in Tanzania.
Ethiopia ICT4D National Policy [Draft](2005). July 17, 2006. he Communication Initiative. http://www.
comminit.com/ict/ictpolicies/ictpolicies-8.html.
Etta, F. and L. Elder (eds.). 2005. At the Crossroads: ICT Policy Making in East Africa. East African
Educational Publishers Ltd. http://www.idrc.ca/openebooks/219-8/.
he book provides a comprehensive analysis of ICT policy development in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and
Tanzania.
“Evaluation Report on UNESCO’s Community Multimedia Centre Initiative(CMC).” May 22, 2006.
UNESCO, Internal Oversight Service Evaluation Section. http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/iles/22129/
11477736959CMC_Evaluation_Final.pdf/CMC%2BEvaluation_Final.pdf.
An assessment of UNESCO’s CMC initiative that promotes sustainable local development through community-based facilities combining traditional media like radio, television, and print with ICTs such as computers,
the Internet, and mobile devices.
“Gaible, Edmond and Mary Burns. “Using Technology to Train Teachers: Appropriate Uses of ICT for
Teacher Professional Development in Developing Countries.” 2005. infoDev / World Bank.
Helps decision makers in developing-country governments and donor agencies in their eforts to utilize
information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve and expand teacher professional development
(TPD) activities. http://www.infodev.org/en/Publication.13.html
“Gambia ICT4D National Policy.” 2004. July 19, 2006. he Communication Initiative. http://www.
comminit.com/trends/ictpolicies/ictpolicies-9.html
“Gambia-UNESCO ICT Fellowship Center.” 2006. he Stockholm Challenge. http://www.stockholmchallenge.se/projectdata.asp?id=1&projectid=916.
he purpose is to bring ICT infrastructure to the doorstep of the young people, particularly those with disabilities.
“Ghana ICT4D National Policy. 2003.” July 5, 2006. he Communication Initiative. http://www.comminit.
com/ict/ictpolicies/ictpolicies-2.html.
Hawkins, R.J. “Ten Lessons for ICT and Education in the Developing World.” In he Global Information
Technology Report 2001–2002: Readiness for the Networked World. http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/
public/documents/apcity/unpan008676.pdf .
44 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
he chapter describes 10 lessons that World Links has learned in its eforts to help developing countries span the
knowledge divide.
ICT Education Policy for Namibia. August 2004. Republic of Namibia. http://www.gesci.org/gesci/iles/ict_
document.pdf.
“ICTs in Education Options Paper.” July 16, 2005. Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology,
Government of Kenya. http://ict.aed.org/kenya/ICT_in_Ed_options_paper_Kenya.pdf.
he paper discusses ways in which ICTs can be leveraged to support and improve the delivery of quality
education for all Kenyans.
“ICT4D Africa Scan.” http://open.bellanet.org/afscan/.
his is a pilot site to experiment with a diferent way of presenting “who is doing what” in the area of ICT for
Development (ICT4D) in Africa.
ICT Policy for Lesotho. March 4, 2005. he Lesotho Government Portal. http://www.lesotho.gov.is/documents/important.php
“IICD Supported Project: ICT Policy and Implementation Strategy for Education in Tanzania.” August 1,
2006. International Institute for Communication and Development. http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/
iicdprojects.2006-07-03.1541076672/view?searchterm=education%20policy%20tanzania.
“Information and Communications for Development 2006: Global Trends and Policies.” April 2006. World
Bank. http://publications.worldbank.org/ecommerce/catalog/product?item_id=5558392”14.
he report contains lessons from both developed and developing countries and examines the roles of the public
and private sectors, identifying the challenges and beneits of adopting and expanding ICT use. he tables
enable assessments and comparisons both over time and across economies, so they help gauge ICT capacity,
performance, and progress.
James, T. (ed.). 2001. An Information Policy Handbook for Southern Africa. IDRC. http://www.apc.org/books/
ictpolsa/ch4/ch4-toc.htm.
Chapter 4 of this handbook examines educational technology policy development, particularly as it refers to the
use of ICTs in schools.
Jensen, N. and N. Ducastel. 2006. “eSchools programme and ICT Integration in Tanzania’s Secondary
Education Policy.” http://www.iicd.org/articles/iicdnews.2006-07-03.9949735116.
he Ministry of Education and Vocational Training is supported and assisted by Sida to work on two countrywide interventions designed to improve teacher training and support the e-schools programme.
“he Kenya ICT Trust Fund.” Republic of Kenya. http://www.education.go.ke/ICTFund.htm.
he ICT Trust Fund was formed in February 2004 by the private sector and the public sector with the aim of
spearheading the ICT initiatives in the education Sector. he fund has developed a strategic plan for 2006–11
that sets out the goals and outcomes it aims to achieve.
“Kenya ICT4D National Policy (2006).” August 9, 2006. he Communication Initiative. http://www.
comminit.com/ict/ictpolicies/ictpolicies-10.html.
Lenoir, M. “Tanzania: ICT Policy for Education Was Born.” October 31, 2006. IICD. http://www.iicd.org/
articles/iicdnews.2006-10-31.1764031033.
he Ministry of Education and Vocational Training invited more than 50 stakeholders to discuss a irst draft of
an ICT policy for education.
Malawi National ICT for Development (ICT4D) Policy. December 2005. Government of Malawi. http://
www.malawi.gov.mw/publications/nationalICT4DPolicy.htm.
“Measuring ICT: he Global Status of ICT Indicators.” 2005. New York: he United Nations Information
and Communication Technologies Task Force. http://www.unctadxi.org/Sections/WSIS/docs/other/globalstatusICTIndicators.pdf.
he report provides a synthesis of the results of a stocktaking exercise on ICT indicators in ive regions of the
world including Africa
Menda, A. “ICT in Education: Content Issues as Kiswahili reigns.” iConnect Online. http://www.ftpiicd.org/
iconnect/ICT4D_Education/ICTEducation_Tanzania.pdf.
A description of initiatives to make Kiswahili “Internet and ICT ready” for the beneit of the community that
speaks Tanzanian language.
www.infodev.org
ANNEX 2: A Selected Bibliography of ICT in Education in Africa 45
“Mozambique ICT4D National Policy. 2000.” July 19, 2006. he Communication Initiative. http://www.
comminit.com/ict/ictpolicies/ictpolicies-12.html
“he Namibian ICT Policy for Education”. 2005. he Communication Initiative. http://www.comminit.com/
trends/ictpolicies/ictpolicies-22.html.
National Information and Communications Technology Policy. January 2006. Ministry of Information and
Communications, Republic of Kenya. http://www.information.go.ke/policy/ICT%20Policy.doc
“New Virtual Reality-based Learning Approach in Africa.” June 20, 2006. UNESCO. http://portal.unesco.
org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=22398&URL_DO=DO_PRINTPAGE&URL_SECTION=201.html.
A recent UNESCO-funded workshop held in Pretoria looked at the creation of VR-based applications in the
African learning context with a focus on the localisation of interactive3-D learning objects to suit and address
local needs.
“Online Education: What Can It Deliver?” e-Learning Africa, News Portal. http://www.elearning-africa.com/
newsportal/english/news8.php.
he Development Gateway has posted a special report that looks at lessons learned, innovations that work, and
the future of ICTs in education for developing countries.
Reduction Strategy (GPRSII) (2006 Republic of Ghana Growth and Poverty—2009). November 2005.
National Development Planning Commission, Republic of Ghana. http://www.ndpc.gov.gh/pdf/
Final%20GPRS%20II%202006.pdf.
he strategy is intended to introduce a shift of strategic focus between 2006 and 2009 to accelerate the growth
of the economy. Speciically the policy addresses issues pertaining to the development and delivery of education,
access to diferent levels of the education ladder, ICT, distance education, professional development, and the
management and inancing of education.
Souter, D. et al. “he Economic Impact of Telecommunications on and Rural Livelihoods and Poverty
Reduction.” June 2005. DfID.
he research reported in this document assesses the impact of the telephone on the lives of the rural poor in three
developing countries—in the state of Gujarat in India, in Mozambique, and in Tanzani . http ://www.
telafrica.org/R8347/iles/pdfs/FinalReport.pdf
Trucano, M. “ICT and Education Activities Supported by USAID.” November 13, 2006. InfoDev, World
Bank. http://www.infodev.org/en/Publication.142.html.
A quick guide to ICT and education activities supported by USAID.
Trucano, M. “Quick guides to resources and work on ICTs and education in international institutions and
donor agencies.” November 13, 2006. InfoDev, World Bank. http://www.infodev.org/en/Publication.141.
html.
A quick guide to ICT and education activities supported by the World Bank, UNESCO, Did and other
international development institutions..
Trucano, Michael. “Knowledge Maps: ICTs in Education”. 2005. infoDev / World Bank. http://www.infodev.
org/en/Publication.8.html
Summarizes what we know—and what we don’t -- about the efective uses of information and communication
technologies in education in developing countries, with a particular attention to Africa. .
Wagner, Daniel A., Bob Day, Tina James, Robert B. Kozma, Jonathan Miller and Tim Unwin. “Monitoring
and Evaluation of ICT in Education Projects: A Handbook for Developing Countries”. 2005. infoDev /
World Bank.
his short handbook provides guidance for policymakers struggling with two key issues especially relevant to the
Africa context: What is the impact on student achievement of introducing ICTs in educational settings in
developing countries? How should this impact be measured, and what are the related issues, especially as they
relate to Education For All and other Millennium Development Goals?. http://www.infodev.org/en/
Publication.9.html
2. ICT INFRASTRUCTURE
“African Ministers to Sign Fibre Project Protocol.” August 2006. he i4d (Information For Development)
print magazine. http://i4donline.net/news/news-details.asp?catid=7&newsid=5266.
46 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
he Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy), a NEPAD initiative, will provide a broadband
network connecting Burundi, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia,
Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan,
Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, with the aim of increasing accessibility to ICTs by
reducing the current prohibitive cost of telephony and Internet connectivity.
Gillwald, A. (ed.). 2005. “Towards an African e-Index: Household and Individual ICT Access and Usage
Across 10 African Countries.”.he LINK Centre, Wits University School of Public and Development
Management. http://www.researchictafrica.net/images/upload/Toward2.pdf
“Gov’t Unfolds Strategies to Roll Out ICTS in Educational Institutions.” September 2006. allAfrica News.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200609210640.html.
A description of the deployment of requisite tools and strategies to achieve the broad goal of every learner in
Ghana to be able to use ICTS conidently by 2015.
Hamilton, P., M. Jensen, and R. Southwood. 2006. “African Internet Country Market Proiles.” Balancing
Act News Update. http://www.balancingact-africa.com/proile1.html.
An overview of developments in West Africa that summarises the data found in the 22 country proiles,
identifying growth opportunities and relevant industry issues.
“he Level of Penetration and Use of the Information and Communication Technologies in Cameroon.”
2006. Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. http://www.minpostel.gov.cm/scan-ict2006/template/
Final_SCAN_ICT_Report_english_Modiied_Oct_11_06.doc#_Toc147548908.
An overview of the ICT environment in Cameroon, current projects in the education secto,r and development
of ICT skills for women.
“Mozambique Government Endorses the CMC Model in New Science and Technology Strategy.”
September 2006. Communication and Information Daily News Service, UNESCO. http://portal.unesco.org/
ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=22737&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html.
he Mozambican government has decided to expand the community multimedia centres as a means of
facilitating the general public’s access to the new technologies.
Mutume, G. “Harnessing the Internet for Development.” July 2006. Africa Renewal. 20 (2): 14. http://www.
un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/vol20no2/202-harnessing-internet.html.
An overview of initiatives being taken to overcome constraints that limit the use of the Internet in African
education.
“National Initiatives Concerning the ICT and Education/Training—Ghana.” December 2000. Accra,
Ghana. International Labour Oice. www.logos-net.net/ilo/150_base/en/topic_n/t8_gha.htm.
he plan for the national information and communications infrastructure of Ghana 2000–2005.
Philander, F. “Gov’t Now Budgets for ICT.” September 15, 2006. Windhoek. New Era. http://www.newera.
com.na/archives.php?id=13161&date=2006-09-15.
For the irst time the government of Namibia has included ICTs as a line item in the education budget.
“Protocol of Agreement Between Peace Corps/he Gambia and World Links.” April 27, 2003. Peace Corps
Online. http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2013371.html.
A protocol agreement to pool the resources of World Links and Peace Corps/he Gambia to maximise synergies
for educational technology.
“Report of the Ministerial Conference on the Integration of Education in Western Africa.” July 28–30,
2004. Abuja, Nigeria, Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) Newslette. 16
(3). http://www.adeanet.org/newsletter/Vol16No3/V16N3_eng_web.pdf
“TUNISIA: New Information and Communication Technologies.” Material received from the Embassy of
Tunisia in New Delhi, India. www.namstct.org/tunisiait.htm.
he Internet connections of all universities and research centres as well as high schools were inalised in 2001.
“World Bank Gives US$10m for ICT.” September 13, 2006. all Africa News. http://allafrica.com/stories/200609130661.html.
he grant will help Rwanda to establish and equip ministries and district oices with a standard suite of ICT
infrastructure enabling them to improve access to information about basic services including education.
www.infodev.org
ANNEX 2: A Selected Bibliography of ICT in Education in Africa 47
3. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
Addo, H., N. Butcher, and S. Isaacs. 2002. “SchoolNets in Africa. A Baseline Scan.” SchoolNet Africa &
IDRC. Johannesburg. South Africa. www.schoolnetafrica.org/422.0html.
An overview of the projects, programmes, donor funding, and partners of 16 schoolnet organisations in Africa
belonging to the SchoolNet Africa network.
Aduwa-Ogiegbaen, S.E. and E.O.S. Iyamu. 2005. “Using Information and Communication Technology in
Secondary Schools in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects.” Educational Technology & Society. 8 (1): 104–
112. http://www.ifets.info/journals/8_1/13.pdf.
his paper examines the major obstacles militating against the use of ICT in secondary education in Nigeria.
“Africa Drive Project. 2006. North West University. http://www.adp.org.za/images/03_adp/03_adp_ao.gif.
In partnership with industry and government, the ADP has developed the Advanced Certiicate in
Education—in a nutshell—a project that aims to produce highly competent secondary school educators, who in
turn will have the ability to deliver quality learning to students.
“Aiti to Train Over 100 Tutors.” 2006. News Item on AllAfrica. http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/200609120015.html.
Over100 ICT tutors from 44 senior secondary schools in Ghana are to be trained in Ruby programming
language as part of the ongoing collaboration between the Ghana-India Koi Annan Centre of Excellence in
ICT and the Finatrade Foundation.
“Catch ITYoung.” 2005. Ghana: OneVillage Foundation www.onevillagefoundation.org/ovf/projects/ovf_
ghana/catch_it_young.html.
CatchITYoung (CITY) is a platform designed to work with educators all over Ghana to develop information
technology clubs in primary and secondary schools.
Chisholm, L.R. Dhunpath, and A.Paterson. June 2004. “he Use of ICTs in the Curriculum in Botswana,
Namibia and Seychelles.” he Southern African Development Community Education Policy Support
Initiative (SADC EPSI). http://www.nied.edu.na/publications/other%20resources/
ICTs%20FINAL%20REPORT.ag.8.6.2004.pdf .
An overview of how each country has prioritised the implementation of ICTs in schools and developed related
policy and curriculum.
Commonwealth of Learning and SchoolNet Africa. 2005. “African SchoolNet Toolkit.” Commonwealth of
Learning, Vancouver, Canada. www.col.org/colweb//site/pid/3155.
he African Schoolnet Toolkit is designed to support education policymakers and practitioners in their use of
ICTs.
“Computers for Schools Kenya.” 2006. http://www.cfsk.org. Computers for Schools Kenya has placed over 7,000
computers in more than 300 schools throughout the country.
Conway, Kevin. 2003. “Tools for Educational Change”. IDRC http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-27301-201-1-DO_
TOPIC.html.
Students and teachers in the Mozambique SchoolNet network are using the Internet as a learning tool.
Cossa, G. and J. Cronje. 2004. “Computers for Africa: Lessons Learned from Introducing Computers into
Schools in Mozambique.” International Journal of Learning Technology. Vol 1, No 1. 84–99. www.
schoolnetafrica.org/422.0html.
An analytical academic journal article which assesses the Mozambican experience with the adoption of ICTs in
schools.
“CurriculumNet Pilot Project: Integration of Educational Technology into the Curriculum for Primary and
Secondary Schools in Uganda.” 2004. IDRC. www.idrc.ca/en/ev-8040-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html. A project
in Uganda that specialises in the development of digitised curriculum-aligned content.
“Education.”. 2005. iConnect OnLine. http://www.iconnect-online.org/theme/education.
Four iConnect Africa correspondents examine ICT and education issues with case studies from Burkina Faso,
Ghana, Mali, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
“E-Learning: Promoting Distance Education at the Secondary Level.” September 6, 2005. Windhoek,
Namibia: UNESCO. http://portal.unesco.org/es/ev.php-URL_ID=28751&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_
SECTION=.html.
48 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
A pilot project to develop efective ICT supported distance education delivery models and methodologies for
secondary schools in Namibia. his collaborative venture between UNESCO and the Namibian College for
Open Learning was initiated in January 2005.
“E-Learning: Promoting Distance Education at the Secondary Level.” 2005. UNESCO. http://portal.unesco.
org/en/ev.phpURL_ID=28751&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html.
he pilot project to develop efective ICT-supported distance education delivery models and methodologies for
secondary schools in Namibia is a collaborative venture between UNESCO and the Namibian College for
Open Learning.
“Engendering ICT Toolkit.” 2002. World Bank. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTICTTOOLKIT/
Images/Engendering_ICT_Toolkit.gif.
A description of the toolkit and a case study of its application in Ugandan schools.
Fouldes, S. 2002, Internet-based Teacher Development—Virtual Communities of Practice, School of
Education, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. www.school.za/edn/research.htm.
his report is based on an analysis of the Educator Development Network model of teacher development by
SchoolNet South Africa.
Gadio, C.M. 2001. “Exploring the Gender Impacts of World Links in some selected African countries: A
Qualitative Approach.” World Links, Washington, USA. http://www.mulonga.net/discus/messages/26/387.
html?1019926542.
A summary of the indings of an independent study conducted in four African countries.
“Global Teenager Project (GTP).” 2005. iConnect Online. http://www.iconnect-online.org/Articles/iconnectarticles.2005-05.
An assessment report of the implementation of this project in three schools in Zambia.
“Going Forward in Ghana.” 2006. Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative(GeSCI). www.gesci.org/
gesci/publisher/index.jsp?aID=229&nID=111&pID=107.
GeSCI has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Ghana to expand the deployment
of ICTs in schools in Ghana and to promote the efective use of these ICTs to achieve Ghana’s educational and
community development objectives.
Hesselmark, O. and J. Miller. 2002. “A Country ICT Study for Namibia.” Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). http://www.eldis.org/cf/search/disp/docdisplay.cfm?doc=DOC177
82&resource=1
his report covers the ifth in a series of country ICT surveys commissioned by Sida as part of its ongoing
programme to support the use of ICT in developing countries.
Howie, S.J., A.Muller, and A. Paterson. “ICT Development in Schools, An Evaluation of South Africa.”
2005. Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), South Africa / Nexus. http://www.eldis.org/cf/search/
disp/docdisplay.cfm?doc=DOC18476&resource=f1.
his study evaluates the use of ICT in South Africa, such as current infrastructure, connectivity, curriculum,
and timetable allocations, and to a lesser extent classroom practice of ICT in South Africa.
Howie, S.J., A. Muller, and A. Paterson. 2005. Information and Communication Technologies in South African
Secondary Schools.” South Africa Human Sciences research Council. http://www.hsrcpress.ac.za/full_title_info.
asp?id=1984.
his book is based on the results of research undertaken in the Second Information Technology in Education
Study (SITES), an international cross-sectional survey evaluating the status of ICT in relation to instructional
activities across 26 countries.
“Imfundo Programme in Ghana.” 2002. Department for International Development (DfID). http://www.
did.gov.uk/research/imfundo-ghana.asp.
An Imfundo project to assist Ghana’s Special Education Division with advice on best practice for ICT for
special education needs in Africa.
“Imfundo Research Programme.” 2002–2004. DfID. http://www.did.gov.uk/research/imfundo.asp.
Imfundo was an initiative of DfID which considered ways in which ICT could be used to support education
in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa.
www.infodev.org
ANNEX 2: A Selected Bibliography of ICT in Education in Africa 49
“Intel Gives Nigerian Students Access to e-Classroom in Nigeria.” 2006. http://allafrica.com/stories/200610050173.html.
An article that provides details of a new Intel project in Nigeria.
Isaacs, S. 2002. “ICTs in African Schools: A Multi-Media Approach for Enhancing Learning and Teaching.”
TechKnowLogia. Jan-March, 32–34.
Isaacs, S. 2005. “Against All Odds. Critical Relections on SchoolNet Africa. in ICTs For Education, United
Nations ICT Task Force, New York, USA.
A detailed relective article on the challenges and opportunities faced by SchoolNet Africa since its inception in
2001.
Isaacs, S. 2005d. “Empowering Women in the Information Society: Towards a More Concerted Global and
Local Efort.” In Maitland +20 Fixing the Missing Link. he Anima Centre, United Kingdom.
Isaacs, S. 2005. “School Networking in Africa.” In Emerging Trends in the Development of School Networking
Initiatives. Commonwealth of Learning. Vancouver, Canada. www.col.org/colweb/site/pid/3330.
An overview of the key challenges and issues facing African schoolnet organisations with references to case
studies and examples of good practice.
Isaacs, S. and V. Naidoo. 2003. “A Schoolnet Value Chain for Africa—An integrated Model Enhancing
Education hrough the Use of ICTs.” he Commonwealth of Learning, Vancouver.
James, T. (ed.) 2004. “he Role of ICTs. Networking Institutions of Learning—SchoolNet.” Information
and Communication Technologies for Development in Africa. Volume 3. IDRC and CODESRIA, Senegal
Information and Communication. www.idrc.ca/es/ev-33006-201-1DO_TOPIC.html.
An evaluation of school networking projects supported by IDRC in a number of African countries.
James, T., O. Hesselmark, and G. Sibiya. 2002. “Final Evaluation of the Computer Education Trust
Swaziland.” DfID. http://imfundo.digitalbrain.com/imfundo/web/plan/cet/.
An evaluation report produced by DFID on the schoolnet organisation in Swaziland. Useful for the constraints
experienced, as well as what works.
Kenya National ICT Strategy for Education and Training. 2006. Ministry of Education. http://www.
education.go.ke/ICTStrategy.htm
“Knowledge Aid for Sierra Leone.” 2004. http://www.knowledgeaid.org/action.htm.
Teachers, with the help of Knowledge Aid, are downloading teaching materials (“learning objects”) and will
gradually build an electronic virtual library of teaching resources—a progress report to 2004.
Leach, J. 2004. “ICTs for teacher training, Egypt and South Africa.” SoulBeat Africa. http://www.comminit.
com/africa/strategicthinking/st2004/thinking-759.html.
he results of research on the DEEP project shows that new digital technologies can have a signiicant role to
play in transforming the opportunities for teacher education in developing countries.
Leach, J. et al. 2005. DfID. “DEEP IMPACT: An Investigation of he Use of Information and
Communication Technologies for Teacher education in he Global South.” http://www.open.ac.uk/deep/
Public/web/publications/core.html.
A report of a survey conducted in 12 primary schools in Egypt and South Africa involving learners and
teachers and their use of a range of technologies. Provides some insights into issues related to ICT integration
into teaching and learning at the primary school level in both countries.
Lesoba Consult. 2001. “Afordable Bandwidth for African Schools.” SchoolNet Africa. www.schoolnetafrica.
net.
his study provides an overview of e-rate models in the US, Egypt, and Senegal and makes the case for
SchoolNet Africa to pursue an e-rate model as part of strategies for promoting afordable access to bandwidth
in schools.
“Libyan Pupils to Have Laptops.” 2006. BBC News: International version. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6040536.stm.
he Government of Libya is reported to have agreed to provide its 1.2 million school children with a cheap,
durable laptop computer by June 2008.
Microsoft Partners in Learning. 2005. “Evaluation of Microsoft Partners in Learning in South Africa.” www.
school.za/research/index.htm.
A report of the successes and challenges of the Microsoft PIL programme in South Africa during 2004–2005.
50 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
“Mkusanyiko on School Networking. SchoolNet Africa.” 2004. SchoolNet Africa www.schoolnetafrica.
org/422.0html.
A compendium of schoolnet and related projects in operation throughout Africa during 2003/2004.
“National Initiatives Concerning the ICT and Education/Training—Ghana.” 2000. InFocus Programme on
Skills, Knowledge and Employability, International Labour Oice. http://www.logos-net.net/ilo/150_base/en/
topic_n/t8_gha.htm.
An overview of initiatives in Ghana as of 2000.
Odhiambo, O. October 31, 2006. “Landlocked country may soon become top ICT hub in Africa.” he
Daily Nation. http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_
id=39&newsid=84493.
All public schools in Rwanda are expected to join the information super-highway by the end of next year.
Potter, C. and G. Naidoo. May 2006. “Using Interactive Radio to Enhance Classroom Learning and Reach
Schools, Classrooms, Teachers, and Learners.” Distance Education. 27 (1) : 63–86. http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/routledg/cdie/2006/00000027/00000001/art00005.
his article provides a case study of the development of the Open Learning Systems Education Trust’s “English
in Action” programme in South Africa from 1993 to the end of 2004.
SchoolNet South Africa, 2003, 2004, and 2005. “Intel Teach to the Future Evaluation.. www.school.org.za/
research/index.html.
Successive evaluation reports of the irst three yearsof the Intel Teach to the Future programme in South Africa.
SchoolNet South Africa. 2002. “Audit of Major Educational ICT Projects in South Africa: World Economic
Forum Global Digital Divide Initiative.”
his audit provides an overview of 34 diferent projects involved with ICTs in education in South Africa
Seifu, S. May 2006. “How Soon Is Too Soon? Introducing Technology in Primary School Classrooms.”
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/elearning/rc/iledownload.do?itemId=1075152.
A case study reviewing the challenges, rewards, and lessons learned from a two-year project of introducing the
concept of technology to the rural least-privileged schools of Rwanda.
“Somali Interactive Radio Instruction Program (SIRIP).” International Education Systems. http://ies.edc.org/
ourwork/project.php?id=3734.
Building on the success of the previous Interactive Radio Instruction for Somalis, SIRIP has a series of
interactive radio instruction programmes for students in Grades 1 to 6.
South Africa Department of Education. 2002. “Audit of Selected Educational ICT Projects in South
Africa.”wef-ict-audit-inal.doc.
A bit dated, but a useful overview of key ICT4E projects in the schools sector in South Africa.
South Africa Draft ICT in Education Implementation Plan. 2006. National Department of Education.
he document provides information on the status of access to and use of ICTs in South African schools and a
proposed strategy to improve access, use and integration in learning and teaching.
South African Institute for Distance Education. 2005. “Online Access and Connectivity of Primary School
Teachers in Sub-Saharan Africa.” SAIDE, Johannesburg, South Africa. www.saide.org.za/
his is a report on desktop research on access to on-line resources by teachers in Africa focusing on Kenya,
Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania.
“State of the Art telecentre in Tunisia.” 2006. telecentre.org. www.telecentre.org/en-tc/node/15674.
he Centre National Informartique Pour l’Enfance and the Centre National Informartique Pour
l’Handicappe in Tunisia has branches in the 24 governorates of Tunis that allow children access to ICT
training in multimedia and the Internet.
“Timebound Program on Eliminating Child Labor in Tanzania.”. 2002–2006. International Education
Systems (IES). http://ies.edc.org/ourwork/project.php?id=3224&topic=13.
A report of an interactive radio instruction series called Mambo Elimu that reached approximately 10,000
children in Tanzania who had no access to formal education. A similar project has been conducted in Somalia.
World Links. 2006. “Global Report 2006. www.world-links.org/images/stories/Documents/global%20report.
pdf. World Bank, Washington, USA.
his report assesses the work of the World Links programme during the eight-year period leading up to 2006. It
highlights a few case studies in Africa.
www.infodev.org
ANNEX 2: A Selected Bibliography of ICT in Education in Africa 51
4. TERTIARY EDUCATION
“AAU Newsletter.” September-November 2005. 11(3). http://www.aau.org/newsletters/Vol11No3.pdf.
his issue has articles on the Cameroon interuniversity network, Kenya’s education network that provides
interconnectivity to all institutions of higher learning, the UbuntuNet Alliance for bandwidth consistency in
higher learning institutions, the ICT situation at the Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Senegal, and
the Forum, a national network in Nigerian Higher Education Institutions.
“African Virtual University “. 2005. Nairobi, Kenya: African Virtual University. http://www.avu.org/about.asp.
he objective of the AVU is to build capacity and support economic development by leveraging the power of
modern telecommunications technology to provide world-class quality education and training programmes to
students and professionals in Africa. he open, distance, and -elearning initiative seeks to enhance the capacity
of AVU’s partner institutions to develop, deliver, and manage their own programmes.
Aguti, J. N. and William J. Fraser. “Integration of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in he
Distance Education Bachelor of Education Programme, Makerere University, Uganda.” July 2006.
Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE. 7(3) Article 7. http://tojde.anadolu.edu.tr/tojde23/
articles/article7.htm.
he study examined what technologies the stakeholders of this programme have access to, what technologies they
believe can be used for the programme and for what purpose, and, inally, what prerequisites should be put in
place for this technology to work.
“A Rural ICT Toolkit for Africa—African Connection. Centre for Strategic Planning.” November 2006. he
World Bank. http://www.infodev.org/en/Project.11.html.
he toolkit provides a platform for actors in rural ICT development by giving detailed guidelines for preparing,
documenting, measuring the impact of, and justifying the inancial start-up support for ICT projects in rural
areas.
“AVU Capacity Enhancement Program (ACEP) Phase I.” 2005. African Virtual University. http://www.avu.
org/acep.asp.
his is a comprehensive approach to ofering capacity enhancement opportunities to the AVU’s partner
institutions.
“he AVU Teacher Education Project.” http://www.avu.org/documents/Fact-Sheet.pdf. A description of how the
African Virtual University has implemented a teacher education programme, funded by the African
Development Ban), in 20 countries.
Ayoo, P.O. “A National Distance Education (DE) Solution for Uganda.” October 2003. he InterUniversity Council for East Africa. http://www.iucea.org/publications.php?publication_id=37.
he paper describes the institutions in Uganda, the constraints faced re ICT applications, and suggests strategies
for overcoming them.
“Continued Assistance to Connectivity for Educator Development (Connect-ED) Phase II, USAID/
Uganda”. International Education Systems. http://ies.edc.org/ourwork/project.php?id=3448.
A USAID-funded project that set up computer centres and Internet points at Kyambogo University and eight
primary teacher’s colleges throughout the country to provide computer literacy and materials development
training for teachers. Project date: 2003–2005.
Cisler, S. and K. Yocam. 2003. “Connect-ED Evaluation (Uganda).” EduAction. http://www.eldis.org/static/
DOC7844.htm.
he overall task of this project was to integrate computers into the teaching methods of primary teacher college
faculty and build capacity among staf by establishing computer-assisted teacher-training laboratories and
resource centres. he report outlines project results, impacts, and recommendations for the future of ConnectED.
Coupe, J. et al. “Is Constructivism Universal: In Search of Meaningful Technology in Morocco and
Namibia.” his paper is reprinted with the permission of UNESCO/IIEP. It will appear as chapter 8 in
Adapting Technology for School Improvement: A Global Perspective, edited by D.W.Chapman and L.
Mahlc. 2003. http://www.eldis.org/cf/search/disp/DocDisplay.cfm?Doc=DOC7879&Resource=f1ict.
he experience suggests that education technology programmes can enhance the quality of professional training
as well as strengthen education reforms by giving ownership to the involved teachers.
52 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
“Education—Under Construction.” November 2003. UNESCO. http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-.
here is growing commitment by African governments to the development of ICTs and using these technologies
for distance education. Additionally, there are strong indicators that open and distance learning is becoming
more central to the education policy of many countries.
Edukugho, E. October 5, 2006. “Teachers Must Pass ICT test —TRCN.” Vanguard Media Ltd. http://www.
vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/features/education/edu105102006.html.
he acquisition of basic ICT skills and capabilities is now part of the National Minimum Standards for
Teacher Education and Practice in Nigeria.
“Internet in Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology Development in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
2006. Dgroups. http://www.dgroups.org/groups/cgiar/InternetAfrica/index.cfm?op=dsp_resource_
details&resource_id=33068&cat_id=17316.
Summary of three weeks’ on-line discussion on the Internet in higher education and science and technology
development in sub-Saharan Africa, with about 280 participants, the majority from difering African
countries.
Jallow, A.K. 2002. “Report On ICT Use In Gambia College.” http://www.widernet.org/projects/gambia/
IctInGambiaCollegeReprot.htm.
A needs assessment of ICT use in Gambia’s tertiary institutions of learning for the WiderNet Project.
Jokivirta. L. 2006. “Foreign Higher Education Activity in Francophone Africa. “ World Education News and
Reviews. http://www.wes.org/ewenr/06apr/feature.htm.
A description of the most recent online foreign initiatives in francophone Africa.
Josué, T.T. September 2006. “Some Facts about Cameroon.” Development through Dialogue, an online
discussion forum. http://www.dgroups.org/groups/cgiar/InternetAfrica/index.cfm?op=dsp_showmsg&listname
=InternetAfrica&msgid=444617&cat_id=17314.
Juma, M.N. and S. D’Antoni (eds). 2006. “he Virtual University: Models and messages, Lessons from
Case Studies”. UNESCO (IIEP). http://www.unesco.org/iiep/virtualuniversity/media/document/Ch10_
AVU_Juma.pdf.
he report, based on the experience of Kenyatta University, as part of the AVU, highlights the challenges faced
by many African institutions as well as experiences gained in using technology to address some of them.
“Kampala Varsity in e-Library Bid.” October 2006. Uganda: East African Business Week. http://www.busiweek.
com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2174&Itemid=39.
Kampala International University is to launch a digital library to support distance learning programmes.
Liverpool, S. 2002. “ICT in Education in Gambia: An Overview of Gambian Tertiary Education.”
Widernet.org. http://www.widernet.org/projects/gambia/reportgambia.htm.
A needs assessment of the use of ICT in Gambia’s tertiary institutions of learning conducted for the WiderNet
Project.
“Makerere to Set Up an ICT Centre in Africa.” August 14, 2006. i4d. http://i4donline.net/news/news-details.
asp?catid=13&newsid=5264.
he Makerere University Faculty of Computing and Information Technology has won an Africa Union bid to
set up an ICT institution to ofer ICT training for 13 countries.
Martey, A. “ICT in Distance Education in Ghana.” 2004. Library Hi Tech News Incorporating Online and
CD Notes. 21(5):16–18(3). Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/mcb/2
39/2004/00000021/00000005/art00006.
his study describes the ICT scene in Ghana from 1996 to 2004. he emphasis is on the beneits that distance
learners in Ghana will derive from an ICT-enhanced distance education.
Murray, L. “AVU Gap Analysis Report: August 2005.” http://www.avu.org/acep.asp.
his report describes the capacities of all potential partners in the consortium of universities.
“National ICT Strategy for Education and Training.” 2006. Kenya Ministry of Education. http://www.education.go.ke/ICTStrategy_Team.htm.
he strategy outlines outcomes, implementation, management, cost analysis and monitoring, and the evaluation processes.
Ng’ethe, N. et al. 2003. “Higher Education Innovations in Sub-Saharan Africa: With Speciic Reference to
Universities.” ADEA Working Group on Higher Education for the Partnership on Education. http://
www.infodev.org
ANNEX 2: A Selected Bibliography of ICT in Education in Africa 53
www.aau.org/wghe/publications/wghe_innovations_ref_univ.pdf.
he survey sought to identify and document higher education innovations currently underway in Sub-Saharan
Africa.
“Nigeria Gets $200m to Boost ICT in Rural Areas.” October 27, 2006. he Tide Online. http://www.
thetidenews.com/article.aspx?qrDate=09/23/
2006&qrTitle=Nigeria%20gets%20$200m%20to%20boost%20ICT%20in%20rural%20areas&qrColum
n=NEWS.
he loan will be used to deploy the National Technology Development Agency’s mobile internet units to rural
areas as part of the efort to stimulate interest in ICT in the country.
Ouma, A.P. “A National Distance Education (DE) Solution for Uganda: Innovative Application of Digital
ICTs to Overcome the Barriers of the Existing Digital Divide.” October 29, 2003. Paper presented at the
IITE Specialized Training on ICTs for Distance e-Learning for Countries in sub-Saharan Africa conference at the University of South Africa. http://www.iucea.org/publications/DE_Solution_%20Uganda.doc.
A comprehensive analysis of the Ugandan higher education system in terms of the opportunities for ICT
applications and the constraints that need to be addressed.
Perraton, H. October 2001. “Teacher Education hrough Distance Learning.” UNESCO. http://portal.
unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=45578&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html.
A summary of case studies in Burkino Faso, Nigeria, and South Africa to ascertain what methods were being
used and how efective they were.
Sagna, O. and S. D’Antoni (eds). “he Virtual University Models and Messages.” 2006. UNESCO (IIEP).
http://www.unesco.org/iiep/virtualuniversity/media/document/Ch5_CNFD_Sagna.pdf.
he Campus numérique francophone de Dakar, Senegal, inaugurated in 2000, functions essentially as a wellequipped resource centre, promoting and supporting distance and ICT-enabled education through the production of multimedia content, the promotion of distance education courses and CD-Roms, an incubator for
innovative irms, the development of digital literacy in students and teachers, and access to on-line information.
“Somalia: Online Distance Learning Initiative Fact Sheet.”. August 2006. UNDP and World Bank. http://
www.reliefweb.int/library/documents/2006/undp-som-26aug.pdf.
he ODL Learning Initiative is using VSAT to access Internet connectivity for knowledge resources and
interactive learning in selected Somali universities/tertiary institutions.
Steiner, R. et al. “he African Tertiary Institutions Connectivity Survey Report.” 2004. http://www.dgroups.
org/groups/cgiar/InternetAfrica/docs/ATICS2004Report.pdf.
he report is based on a survey of 83 institutions in 40 countries to discover their needs and willingness to
participate in a “bandwidth purchasing club.”
“Strategic Development Plan for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) 2003 –2005.”
Association for the Development of Education in Africa. http://www.aau.org/wghe/publications/wghe_ict_
strategic_plan_zimbabwe.pdf.
his work, for the National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, was encouraged by
the Working Group on Higher Education of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa.
“Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA).” November 2005. Open University. http://www.open.
ac.uk/education-and-languages/about_the_faculty/case_studies/teacher-education.php.
TESSA will provide on-line training that educators can download and print or burn on CDs for use in schools
across Africa.
“Towards a Strategy on Developing African Teacher Capabilities in the Use of Information and
Communication Technology.” October 2004. SchoolNet Africa. http://www.schoolnetafrica.net/ileadmin/
resources/Towards_a_Strategy_on_Developing_African_Teacher_Capabilit._01.pdf.
A research summary of teacher training in ICT in Africa at pre-service and in-service levels.
Twinomugisha, A., J. Magochi and S. Aluoch. “Bandwidth Consolidation and Management for
Universities.” October 2000. he Partnership for Higher Education in Africa. http://www.foundationpartnership.org/pubs/avu/index.php.
A report prepared by the African Virtual University for the Partnership.
“UNESCO Preparing Standards for Integrating ICT into Teaching.” November 1, 2006. ICT in Education.
http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=23023&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html.
54 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
A UNESCO initiative designed to develop a common core syllabus deining various ICT competency skills for
teachers that professional development providers can use to prepare learning materials is nearing completion.
“UNESCO to Sponsor Pilot Satellite Distance Learning Course on Telecentres in Africa.” May 2004.
UNESCO Daily News Service. http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=13920&URL_DO=DO_
TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html.
his project demonstrated and tested the potential of digital radio to deliver low-budget, efective, multimediabased and real-time distance education to rural learners in Ethiopia, Namibia, Tanzania, Uganda and
Zambia.
“Virtual University to Become a Reality in August 2007.” September 6, 2006. Commonwealth News and
Information Service. Issue 301.
COL’s Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) initiative is set to become a reality
in August 2007 with the launch of two of its programmes.
“VSAT Project for Pan African Countries by Indian Government.” August 2005. Ghana: Ministry of
Communications. http://www.moc.gov.gh/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&ile=article&sid=24&m
ode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
he Minister of Communications has signed a memorandum of understanding with Telecommunications
Consultants India to establish a VSAT-based tele-medicine and tele-education infrastructure for African
countries.
“Work on UNESCO’s ICT Competency Standards for Teachers Enters Final Phase.” October 2006.
UNESCO Daily News Service. http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=23023&URL_DO=DO_
TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html. An international standard for integrating ICTs in teaching.
Zaparovanny,Y. “Information and Communication Technologies Usage in Higher Education in SubSaharan Africa.”. 2004. UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE). http://
www.iite-unesco.org/.
his book contains 22 articles, nine of which are state-of-the art country studies. he largest article is the Pan
African Study of “E-Campus” that gives perspectives of several higher education institutions and desk-based
research on six other countries.
5. NON-FORMAL EDUCATION
“Africa Online’s Ininet Will Boost Basic Education.” September 8, 2006. Ministry of Communications,
Republic of Ghana. http://www.moc.gov.gh/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&ile=article&sid=159
&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0.
IniNet, Africa Online’s new mobile broad band wireless service, has strong potential for applications in basic
education in rural schools.
Akinsola, O.S., M.E. Herselman, and S.J. Jacobs. 2005. “ICT Provision to Disadvantaged Urban
Communities: A study in South Africa and Nigeria.” International Journal of Education and Development
using ICT. 1 (3). http://ijedict.dec.uwi.edu//viewarticle.php?id=57&layout=html.
he focus of this research was to develop a ICT model in a Nigerian community.
“Computerize Nigeria Project.” October 2006. his Day. http://www.independentngonline.com/news/51/
ARTICLE/13160/2006-10-16.html.
he Computerize Nigeria Project, an NGO, has concluded plans to invest over N400 million in two megacomputer training schools as a irst phase in the planned rollout of mega-computer schools across the country.
One , to open in January 2007,will be an ICT training school, and the other, when operational, will train
civil servants, teachers, lecturers, and unemployed graduates.
“dot-EDU Southern Sudan Interactive Radio Instruction (SSIRI) Program.” International Education
Systems. http://ies.edc.org/ourwork/project.php?id=3487&topic=13.
he SSIRI programme designs, develops, and pilot-tests appropriate and cost-efective technologies in an efort
to provide learning opportunities for children, adults, and teachers in southern Sudan. Project will run 2004
to 2008.
“Egypt Smart Schools.” 2006. International Education Systems. http://ies.edc.org/ourwork/project.
php?id=3600&topic=13.
www.infodev.org
ANNEX 2: A Selected Bibliography of ICT in Education in Africa 55
An EDC pilot project to build the capacity of teachers to integrate ICTs into teaching and learning and to
strengthen the capacity of local NGO members to assist schools and communities to manage school-based
community learning centres for community development.
“Ethiopian Centre Promoting ICT Use by Blind People Supported by UNESCO.” January 2003. UNESCO
Communication and Information Bulletin. http://www.digitalopportunity.org/external/
?url=http%3A%2F%2Fportal.unesco.org%2Fci%2Fev.php%3FURL_ID%3D6926%26URL_
DO%3DDO_TOPIC%26URL_SECTION%3D201%26reload%3D1041834627.
A programme in Ethiopia to support training for the blind and visually impaired through ICTs.
“Evaluation Report on UNESCO’s Community Multimedia Centre Initiative(CMC).” May 22, 2006.
Internal Oversight Service, Evaluation Section: UNESCO. http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/iles/22129/
11477736959CMC_Evaluation_Final.pdf/CMC%2BEvaluation_Final.pdf.
An assessment of UNESCO’s CMC initiative which promotes sustainable local development through community-based facilities that combine traditional media like radio, television, and print with new ICTs such as
computers, the Internet, and mobile devices.
“he First Scale-up CMC Gets of the Ground in Mozambique.” 2005. UNESCO Communication and
Information Bulletin. http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=19082&URL_DO=DO_
TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html.
he irst community multimedia centre with radio and ICTs in Mozambique opened as part of UNESCO’s
multi-country scale-up initiative was inaugurated on May 9, 2005.
“he ICT Programme.” 2006. Mauritius National Computer Board. http://www.gov.mu/portal/site/
ncbnew?content_id=04c5542c04f7d010VgnVCM1000000a04a8c0RCRD.
An ambitious programme for training 400,000 Mauritians in ICT over four years began on September 4 in
the ICT labs of 60 secondary schools across the country.
“IICD Supported Project: Kalomo Bwacha Women’s ICT Club.” April 2006. International Institute for
Communication and Development. http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/iicdprojects.2006-0425.0903449865.
Women in a rural area of Zambia are using ICTs in a women’s resource centre to improve money-making
activities by using the Internet to market their produce.
Laureys, F. November 2006. “ICTs and Rural Development: a case from Burkina Faso.” International
Institute for Communication and Development. http://www.iicd.org/articles/iicdnews.2006-1106.1897137599.
his article describes three of the ive IICD supported projects in Burkina Faso focusing on rural development
using ICTs
“Nigerian Government Kick Starts Computer for All Nigerians Initiative (CANi).” June 10, 2006. Highway
Africa News. http://hana.ru.ac.za/article.cfm?articleID=1180.
he Nigerian federal government has placed an order for 14,500 units of personal computers under the CANi
initiative.
Pigato, M. 2001. “Information and Communication Technology, Poverty, and Development in sub-Saharan
Africa and South Asia.” World Bank. http://www-wds.worldbank.org/servlet/WDSContentServer/WDSP/
IB/2001/09/28/000094946_01091404003925/Rendered/PDF/multi0page.pdf.
Examines patterns of tilization, ownership, and afordability of ICTs.
“Using Information and Communication Technology to Combat HIV/AIDS—Uganda.” March 24, 2004.
he Communication Initiative. http://www.comminit.com/experiences/pds32004/experiences-1900.html
Implemented by the USA-based Education Development Center (EDC) and partners, this project uses peer
learning, social action, and small business projects that integrate ICTs with information about HIV/AIDS to
enable youth to build ICT skills. A broader goal is to test the potential of ICTs as a means of facilitating youth
and community learning about HIV/AIDS.
Virtual Souk. “E-Commerce for Unprivileged Artisans.” March 25, 2002. iConnect Online. http://www.
iconnect-online.org/Stories/Story.import5014/view?searchterm=virtual%20souk.
he Virtual Souk is a World Bank-supported project that helps craftsmen from the Middle East and North
Africa to become economically competitive. he project trains the craftsmen in small business administration
techniques and use of the Internet in Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisi,.
56 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
Wagner, D., B. Day, and J.S. Sun. March 30, 2004. “Information Technologies and Education for the Poor
in Africa (ITEPA).” Final Report for Imfundo: Partnership for IT in Education. http://imfundo.digitalbrain.com/imfundo/web/papers/itepa/ITEPA.doc.
Report contains recommendations for a Pro-Poor ICT4D Non-Formal Education Policy.
Wambui, M. “Development hrough Radio: A Case Study from Sierra Leone.”2005. he Communication
Initiative. http://www.comminit.com/ict/ictcasestudies/ictcasestudies-17.html.
he Forum of Conscience, a human rights NGO, set out to establish a Development hrough Radio project in
Sierra Leone that would provide a channel through which women could voice their views on the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission process and bring gender issues to the fore of the process.
6. DISTANCE EDUCATION AND OPEN LEARNING
Allais, S.M. 2003. “Distance Education in Francophone African Countries: Report of a Research Visit.”
Open Learning hrough Distance Education. 9 (2): 10–13. http://www.saide.org.za/resources/0000000051/2003.pdf.
Report of the research indings of a short visit to three francophone African countries. he aim was to gather
information on distance education projects to contribute to an international‘knowledge base on distance education and open learning in higher education, and to promote relations and exchange of good practice between
African nglophone and francophone practitioners.
Butcher, N. December 2003. Technological Infrastructure and Use of ICT in Education in Africa: An
Overview. ADEA Working Group on Distance Education and Open Learning. http://www.adeanet.org/
publications/docs/ICT_eng.pdf.
his book examines existing technological infrastructure and use of ICTs in education and explores how ICT
can support distance education and open learning in Africa.
“Developing Efective ICT-Supported Distance Education Delivery Models and Methodologies.” Project
dates: September 2004 to December 2005. UNESCO. http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_
ID=42892&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html.
he project’s purpose was to develop e-learning materials to improve distance education for Namibian
secondary schools.
“Distance Education, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)– Policy Challenges.” March
27–31, 2006. Association for the Development of Education in Africa, Biennale on Education in Africa
held in Libreville, Gabon. http://www.adeanet.org/biennial-2006/D.%20Doc%20Pl%E9ni%E8res/PL5_
2_GTEDAL_en.pdf#search=%22%22Southern%20African%20Regional%20Distance%20Education%20
Centre%22.
Provides an insight into the status of technological infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa needed to support
distance education interventions.
“South West: UB Armed for Distance Learning.” November 2006. Cameroon Tribune. http://www.cameroontribune.net/article.php?lang=Fr&oled=j15092006&idart=38888&olarch=#.
he University of Buea has announced its readiness to make distance learning more realistic in the next
academic year.
Rumajogee, A.R. February 2002. “Distance Education and Open Learning in sub-Saharan Africa: A
Literature Survey on Policy and Practice.” Working Group on Distance Education and Open Learning,
Association for the Development of Education in Africa. http://www.adeanet.org/publications/docs/
open%20learning%201.pdf.
his report is a review of the literature on current developments and prospects in the ield of open and distance
learning in sub-Saharan Africa.
“Teacher Education hrough Distance Learning.” October 2001. UNESCO. http://portal.unesco.org/
education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=45578&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html.
his document is a summary of case studies that include one in each of Burkino Faso and Nigeria and two in
South Africa.
“Toolkit Preview: Designing Open and Distance Learning for Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: A
Toolkit for Educators and Planners.” March 2006. http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/
www.infodev.org
ANNEX 2: A Selected Bibliography of ICT in Education in Africa 57
COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/EXTAFRREGTOPEDUCATION/EXTAFRREGTOPDISEDU/
0,,contentMDK:20821714~pagePK:34004173~piPK:34003707~theSitePK:732264,00.html.
he toolkit focuses on the development of open and distance learning and teacher education programmes.
“University of Swaziland Institute of Distance Education.”.http://www.uniswa.sz/academics/ide/.
he Web site has a summary of programmes ofered.
7. GENDER AND ICT
Buskens, I. June 6. 2006. “GRACE Project : State of the Research.” Durban, South Africa: Association for
Progressive Communications. http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=5038333.
he GRACE (Gender Research in Africa into ICTs for Empowerment) project is focused on researching how
women in 12 African countries use ICTs for empowerment.
Derbyshire, H. January 2003. “Gender Issues in the use of Computers in Education in Africa”. Imfundo.
http://imfundo.digitalbrain.com/imfundo/web/learn/documents/Gender%20Report.doc.
he paper draws on research from other jurisdictions because of the lack of African-based research.
“GenderIT.org : Changing he Way You See ICT.” Association for Progressive Communications. http://
www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml.
A clearinghouse on gender and ICT policy issues.
Isaacs, S. November 2002. Seoul, Korea. “It’s Hot for Girls.” Paper presented at Expert Group Meeting on
Information and Communication Technologies and heir Impact on And Use as An Instrument for he
Advancement And Empowerment of Women..http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/ict2002/reports/
Paper%20by%20Isaaks2.PDF.
he paper analyses gender and ICT in education.
“Open Learning Communities for Gender Equity with the Support of ICTs.” November 2003. UNESCO,
Open Learning Communities. http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=2175&URL_DO=DO_
TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html.
Local communities in Mozambique and South Africa use ICTs to develop their own content and learning tools
using local telecentres that transform them into places of equity-based learning and community-building.
Radlof, J., N. Primo, and A. Munyua. August 2004. “he Role of Information and Communication
Technologies in the Development of African Women.” Association for Progressive Communications.
http://www.apc.org/english/rights/documents/article_english.pdf.
his paper examines the role of information and communication in relation to women’s development in Africa.
he paper outlines the issues and challenges faced by African women entering the information society.
“Women in Global Science and Technology (WIGSAT).” http://www.wigsat.org/WST.html.
his site contains several references relating to women, science, technology, and ICT in development
58 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
About infoDev
infoDev is a partnership of international development agencies, coordinated and served by an expert Secretariat
housed in the Global ICT Department (GICT) of the World Bank, one of its key donors and founders. It acts as a neutral
convener of dialogue, and as a coordinator of joint action among bilateral and multilateral donors—supporting global
sharing of information on ICT for development (ICT4D), and helping to reduce duplication of efforts and investments.
To this end, infoDev sponsors cutting-edge research and analysis to help identify global best practice in the use of
ICT4D.
www.infodev.org
60 Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys
SURVEY OF ICT AND EDUCATION IN AFRICA
A Summary Report, Based on 53 Country Surveys
This project seeks to gather together in a single resource the most relevant and useful information
on ICT in education activities in Africa.
Key questions:
• How are ICTs currently being used in the education sector in Africa, and what are the
strategies and policies related to this use?
• What are the common challenges and constraints faced by African countries in this area?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• ICT Activities and Initiatives in Non-formal Education in Africa
About infoDev
infoDev is a partnership of international development agencies, coordinated and served by an
expert Secretariat housed in the Global ICT Department (GICT) of the World Bank, one of its key
donors and founders. It acts as a neutral convener of dialogue, and as a coordinator of joint
action among bilateral and multilateral donors—supporting global sharing of information on ICT
for development (ICT4D), and helping to reduce duplication of efforts and investments. To this
end, infoDev sponsors cutting-edge research and analysis to help identify global best practice in
the use of ICT4D.
www.infoDev.org
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• ICT Activities and Initiatives in Primary and Secondary Schools
This Summary Report is complemented by 53 separate Country Reports.
•
•
• ICT Activities and Initiatives in Higher Education in Africa
+ Regional ICT/Education Initiatives in Africa
•
•
•
• ICT Policies for Education in Africa
• ICT in Education in Africa: A Way Forward
•
•
Contents:
•
•
•
•
• Factors Enabling and Constraining ICT Use in Education in Africa
•
•
• What is actually happening on the ground, and to what extent are donors involved?
• Gender Equity and ICT in Education in Africa
•
•
•
•
•