1. The document discusses the potential for information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve education in Africa. It notes that improving ICT infrastructure, access, and private sector development are key to ensuring ICT contributes to social development. 2. Currently, ICT penetration rates across Africa are generally low, ranging from 10-30% for internet usage. As a result, standards of education are falling as many students report not learning from their studies. There is a large gap between ICT emphasis in African schools versus European schools. 3. For ICT to effectively uplift education in Africa, implementation must be closely monitored, ICT investment accompanied by education investment, and teachers equipped to integrate ICT. Successful programs

1. Creating a future: ICT and Education
Björn Menden
13.02.2014
We make ICT strategies work

2. Content
Contents
1. Impact Potential of ICT
2. ICT and Education in Africa
–2–
© Detecon
3. Uplift Education in Africa through ICT

3. ICT can Improve Education in Africa – Key Message
Improvements in education and increased access to ICT are two prominent objectives to
develop Africa’s future. What are the key action points?
Key bottlenecks to address in ensuring
that ICT contributes to social enablement
are improving infrastructure, access and
enabling environment for private sector
development.
ICT is important for Africa’s future
development, growth prospects
and competitiveness!
Affordable and appropriate access
to ICT can play an important roles in
reducing poverty through improving
education.
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© Detecon
ICT increases efficiency, provides access to new markets or services, creates new
opportunities for income generation and gives poor people a voice and opportunities.

4. ICT can Improve Education in Africa – Potential of ICT
World Bank observes that a 10% increase in mobile, internet and broadband penetration
respectively correlates with a 0.81% – 1.38% increase in South Africa’s GDP.
% GDP Growth Based on
Increased ICT Usage in South Africa
% Contribution to GDP for every 10% Increase
in ICT Penetration
High Income Countries
Low and Middle Income Countries
1.38
1.38
1.21
1.12
1.12
0.81
0.81
0.77
0.60
Mobile
Internet
Broadband
Mobile
Internet
Broadband
SOURCE: Venture Africa; United Nations – Africa Renewal;
Digital Jobs in Africa: Catalyzing Inclusive Opportunities for Youth South Africa Summary Report 2012
–4–
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Correlation between GDP growth (%) and telephone,
mobile, internet and broadband penetration

5. Content
Contents
1. Impact Potential of ICT
3. Uplift Education in Africa through ICT
–5–
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c
2. ICT and Education in Africa

6. ICT and Education in Africa – Current Situation
African companies are making extensive use of ICT modes in their daily tasks. Africa’s
education system must also empower its students with the relevant skills.
Share of Companies
Internet Usage (2013)
Potential of the Internet
Internet users can both contribute
knowledge to the network and gain
information from it.
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

Increasing access to information

Improving collaboration amongst
teams

Faster and reliable communications
with suppliers / customers
Raising Efficiency
Reducing Costs
Internet is used to some extent
SOURCE: Research ICT africa.net, The Mobile Economy 2013 –
AT Kearney, Detecon Research
–6–
© Detecon
Internet is used to high extent

7. ICT and Education in Africa
Much is yet to be achieved in the provisioning of ICT to the common man in Africa. With
poor ICT penetration rates, it is not a surprise that standards of education are falling.
ICT Penetration Rates in Select African Countries (2013)
%
Mobile Phone Ownership (%)
84
85
Computer Usage (%)
80
Internet Usage (%)
74
75
70
65
60
60
56
55
50
45
47
45
47
40
34
35
30
20
15
29
26
25
36
24
21
18
10
10
5
18
16
15 14
2
13
13
8
4
3
8
6
2
4
5
0
Ethiopia
Ghana
Kenya
Namibia
Nigeria
Rwanda
South Africa
Tanzania
Uganda
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Fast Response Survey System (FRSS), Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools
and Classrooms - Benchmark:
–7–
© Detecon
Cameroon

8. ICT and Education in Africa
Significant numbers of students in Africa, even while ‘attending’ school, are reporting
not learning from their studies and activities at school.
Selected References

% of School Children NOT Learning
One in four children in sub-Saharan Africa does
not go to school – a total of 32 million schoolage children. This is almost half (45%) of the
global out-of school population.

About 153 million adults in sub-Saharan Africa
cannot read or write. Over 60% of these are
women.

Two out of every three pupils, who have finished
2 years of primary school in east Africa, fail
basic tests in English and numeracy.

Only one in ten pupils who have graduated from
the public school education system, in South
Africa, pass university entrance exams.
–8–
© Detecon
SOURCE: Center for Universal Education at Brookings

9. ICT and Education in Africa
There is huge discrepancy, in the emphasis placed on the use of ICT in schools,
between the world’s highest rated education systems and those of Africa.
Computers @ Schools – Africa
Computers @ Schools – Europe
# of Students per Internet Connected Computer
63.0
65
32 000
32 000
Number of
Schools
Number of
Schools with
Computers
30 000
60
28 000
55
26 000
50
22 000
40
25 582
24 000
45
26 000
26 000
20 000
18 000
35
16 000
30
14 000
25
12 000
10 000
20
14.0
15
6 651
6 000
10
2.0
4.0
4 000
4.0
800
2 000
0
1 519
80
350
0
Sweden
Norway
Denmark
France
Egypt
EU Avg.
SOURCE: Survey of Schools – ICT in Education 2012,
Research ICT Africa 0 entry Specific Policy Briefs
–9–
Ghana
Mozambique
Namibia
South Africa
© Detecon
5
7 000
8 000

10. Content
Contents
1. Impact Potential of ICT
2. ICT and Education in Africa
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3. Uplift Education in Africa through ICT

11. Uplift Education in Africa through ICT
Implementing ICT in Africa’s education environment requires thorough follow-through
and monitoring.
Imperatives
The Way Forward
Policy implementation must be followed up with close monitoring to ensure effective deployment and
uptake of lessons learned.
ICT as the
‘silver bullet’
Investment in ICT by itself does not foster human capital development, but must be accompanied by
investment in education.
Total Cost of
Ownership
Multi-partnership and multi-stakeholder setups must have distinct ownership of tasks in order to
promote accountability.
ICT in
Education vs.
Education in
ICT
While equipping schools with computers and using them to teach computer literacy is useful, the goal
of fully integrating ICT in educational and administrative processes will continue to be constrained if
access to ICT infrastructure, affordable connectivity, and a reliable energy supplies are not provided.
Professional
Development of
Teachers
Teachers need to be able to design and adapt content and materials to their students’ needs.
Furthermore they must inculcate in their students a sense of ethical judgement to guard against
dangers inherent in the misuse of ICT.
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© Detecon
Monitor
Implementation

12. Uplift Education in Africa through ICT
Today there are programs in Africa that fully incorporate bandwidth, hardware, software,
training in order to address scale and deliver impact.
1
2
Education leaders and policymakers
are integrating technology projects and
policy into the broader transformation
of service delivery and national
education strategy.
3
Policymakers are addressing the
limitations of insufficient infrastructure
conditions and providing affordable
and sufficient quality bandwidth,
electricity and ICT literacy.
Corporates are taking up the
responsibilities to support the creation
and enhancement of a conducive
learning and teaching environment in
disadvantaged schools.
Education leaders are looking outside
the classroom for solutions that will
support access to educational
information and resources.
4
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© Detecon
SOURCE: http://www.infodev.org/articles/quick-guide-ict-education-initiatives-africa

13. Uplift Education in Africa through ICT
The Shanduka Foundation through the Adopt-a-School Foundation’s comprehensive
approach addresses issues of academics, infrastructure, social and security.
R117 Million has been
More than 4000
temporary job opportunities
have been created
invested
3 New schools built
More than 1000 learners
have received spectacles
448 796 Learners have
benefitted from initiatives
More than 4500 learners have benefitted
from career guidance, leadership training and
life skills programmes
More than 321 new
facilities built
More than 1600 educators
have been developed
Whole School Development Model
Infrastructure
Teambuilding
and
Motivation
Donors and Adopters
(Corporate and individuals)
Educator
Development
Learner
ExtraSchool Safety,
Development Curricular and Security and
Co-Curricular
Discipline
Activities
Strategic Partners
– 13 –
Social
Welfare
Staff, Board
and Shanduka Foundation
© Detecon
Strategic
Planning,
Leadership &
Management

14. Uplift Education in Africa through ICT
Hazyview Digital Learning Centre is an example of a success story of business
involvement in ICT education.
Funding
Management

R3.7 million start-up capital (August 2012)

R2.6 million in additional donations
+
10 full-time
teachers
60+desktop
computers,
Information-Communication
Technology (ICT) Academy as
well as a Hospitality Academy
High-speed
wireless
internet
connectivity
3 digital
whiteboards,

120 adult learners graduated in
September 2013

Over 200 adults enrolled

Graduates may apply for T-Systems’ internship and
learnership programmes


Adult Learners

Open Learning Academy,
providing English literacy,
maths literacy, digital literacy
and life skills to school-aged
learners
formal partnership with two local primary schools, each
one sending over 400 students to the Open Learning
“Digital” reach to 6000 primary school children in 2014
School-Aged Learners
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© Detecon

100 tablet
computers,
Hosanna Community
Projects

15. Uplift Education in Africa through ICT
With only a 2% mobile broadband penetration rate across Africa, investing into ICT and
education holds significant social and economic potential for companies.
Selected Potentials & Opportunities


Center of excellence for ICT
development
Well trained workforce leading
to increased efficiency
Extend customer base
 Targeted product development
(cloud computing, e-commerce
etc.)

Customer
Base
Development
Talent & Skill
Development
ICT

Provide and develop access
to infrastructure,
applications and content
Promote information
transparency
Develop
Brand
Value

– 15 –
Build customer loyalty
Build positive brand perception
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
Close the
Digital / Social
Divide

16. – 16 –
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Thank you!