This is a project titled, UNESCO Mlearning Implementation in Africa, which addresses the stakeholders on policy formulation in Africa and the need to provide an enabling environment and encourage supportive policies that would enhance literacy, increase access to learning materials and reduce the number of children that are out of school.

2. Understanding Mlearning
Definition - Education or training
done by the use of portable
computing devices such as smart
phones, laptops or tablets.
Mobile learning can reduce
inequalities in the educational system
by increasing access to learning
materials, enhancing literacy and
reducing drop-out rates.
An advanced way in which education
is delivered and received
Anywhere, Anytime and on the move
type of learning

3. Benefits of Mlearning
According to GSMA, the key benefits of Mlearning are in
being:
 Accessible
Simplifies access to educational resources and experts.
There are no time or space constraints.
 Personal
Personalizes by offering a flexible and a tailored learning
experience.
 Efficient
Promotes efficiency and cost savings.

4. UNESCO Institute for Statistics Report on
Education in Africa
 Over one-fifth of children between the ages of 6 and 11 are not in school, as well
as one-third of youth between the ages of about 12 and 14. Also, about 60% of
youth between the ages of 15 and 17 are out of school.
 9 million girls across Africa between the ages of 6 and 11 will never go to school,
compared to 6 million boys while 23% of girls are out of primary school compared
to 19% of boys.
 The number of primary-aged children not attending school in Africa makes up more
than half of the global total according to another UNESCO study in 2012.
 Only one-quarter of pre-primary teachers are trained in Sub-Saharan Africa while
about 50% of Upper secondary school teachers have training.
 The rate of gross enrollment in tertiary education in Sub-Saharan Africa is the
lowest in the world, sitting at 8% as of 2014 compared to Southern Asia, which is at
23%, and the global average which is at 34%.

5. UNESCO Mlearning Policy Guidelines
Policy makers are advised to:
 Create or update policies relating to Mlearning.
 Train teachers to leverage on mobile technologies to advance
learning.
 Provide support and training to teachers via mobile technologies.
 Build and optimize educational content for mobile device usage.
 Maintain gender equality for pupils learning through mobile.
 Develop strategies that provide equal access for all.
 Promote the safe, responsible and healthy use of mobile
technologies.
 Improve communication and education management.
 Raise awareness through advocacy, leadership and dialogue.

6. Recommended tools
Instant Classroom
 This is a digital, sort of "School in a
box" designed to bring tablet
based teaching to refugee camps.
 Vodafone foundation and UNHCR
were partners in delivering this
program.
 Setup time is 20mins
 Created for areas where electricity
and internet services are poor.
 It is housed in a robust 52KG
lockable storage case housing.

7. Mlearning tools deployed across
Africa (1/3)
Eneza Education
 This is basically a virtual tutor and
assistant for thousands of Kenya-based
students. Its aim is to partner with
schools in Kenya to track and assess
students knowledge using the mobile
phone.
 It features educational quizzes, live 'Ask-
a-teacher' feature, offline access to
Wikipedia, a dictionary and other
learning materials via sms.
 The platform is specifically geared
towards Kenyan primary school students
in the upper primary grades preparing for
the test (KCPE) crucial for their entry to
secondary school.

8. Mlearning tools deployed across Africa
(2/3)
Ubongo
This is an interactive edutainment created
by a Tanzanian social enterprise for young learners
in Africa, and delivered via existing technologies.
 The main product, Ubongo Kids, is an
educational cartoon that is broadcast daily on
Tanzanian National TV which incites primary
school kids to use their brain by teaching them math and sciences through
animated stories and original songs.
 The kids can use any mobile phone to answer multiple-choice questions via
SMS and receive feedback from their favorite cartoon characters.
 The aim of Ubongo is to inspire the next generation of digital learners and
thinkers, which has already proven successful.
 Also, a survey showed that students who watched the show once a month
for 6 months performed better in numeracy than classmates who watched
an alternative non-educational cartoon.

9. Mlearning tools deployed across Africa
(3/3)
Sterio.me
 Uses SMS service to give students access to
material and lessons they listen to outside the
classroom. This was created by a Nigerian
Startup.
 Basically, teachers pre-record lectures,
quizzes and questions and send them for free
by using a specific SMS code. Teachers are notified when students
have finished the lessons and their students performance is sent to
them. Grading time is saved, immediate feedback is provided to the
students who ask for it.
 Sterio.me does not make use of internet access and can be accessed
through any basic phone.

10. Governments’ Role?
 Setting the stage
 Providing an enabling environment
 Implementation
 Encourage supportive policies in other government
sectors
 Include a variety of stakeholders in policy
development
 Anticipate the effects of rapid advances in technology

11. References
 GSMA Mlearning
https://www.gsmatraining.com/courses/children-and-mobile-
technology/lessons/children-mobile-session-2/
 Mobile Learning
https://www.easy-lms.com/knowledge-center/lms-knowledge-center/mobile-
learning/item10388
 Turning On Mobile Learning in Africa and the Middle East, by Isaacs Shafika
 True Africa
https://trueafrica.co/lists/e-learning-platforms-africa-tutor-ng-mest-school-
education-startups/
 Eneza Education
https://enezaeducation.com
 Ubongo Learning
https://www.ubongo.org
 Sterio.me
https://angel.co/sterio.me

12. Created for the GSMA, Children
and Mobile Technology Course
BY OMOLOLA AYBAEYIN SALAMI