Keynote II - ICT4DEV Keynote II - ICT4DEV global e-schools and communities initiative transforming education, empowering communities, promoting development Astrid Dufborg CAL’07 Conference, Dublin, Ireland 26 – 28 March 2007

global e-schools and communities initiative transforming education, empowering communities, promoting development What do we do? GeSCI provides strategic advice to Ministries of Education in developing countries on the effective use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to support the attainment of educational objectives. How do we approach our work? Adopting a demand driven, collaborative and comprehensive approach we aim to improve the quality of teaching and learning, thereby transforming education, empowering communities and promoting development. What is our methodology? GeSCI has identified 5 critical ICT work streams: Policy Development Strategic Implementation & Planning ICTs in Teaching & Learning Infrastructure & Connectivity Monitoring & Evaluation

ICT 4 DEV – Where are we? Between 1990 and 2003 Global Educational Aid amounted to $64 billion [1] And yet…… million children lack basic education115 million children lack basic education Over 1/3 of the world’s teenagers are not in secondary schoolOver 1/3 of the world’s teenagers are not in secondary school 800 million adults in the developing world are illiterate; the majority of them are women.800 million adults in the developing world are illiterate; the majority of them are women. Getting Connected? [2] Internet Users USA: users per 100 inhabitants/peopleUSA: users per 100 inhabitants/people Africa: 3.74 users per 100 inhabitants/ peopleAfrica: 3.74 users per 100 inhabitants/ peoplePCs USA: PCs per 100 inhabitants/peopleUSA: PCs per 100 inhabitants/people Africa: 2.20 PCs per 100 inhabitants/ peopleAfrica: 2.20 PCs per 100 inhabitants/ people [1] [2] [1]OECD

The Cart Before the Horse ICTs – The Silver Bullet? Unfounded claims about ICTs and their potential, result in the deployment of technology without capacity. We make too many assumptions about developing world demand: One Size Fits All! We assume that what works for the developed world also works for the developing world. Business for Education Technology harnessed for business does not always meet the needs of Education. Technology without capacity is futile! Connectivity without computers Computers without connectivity Untrained teachers with computers Trained teachers without computers Technology without future planning Maintenance providers responding to all of the above issues

Good Practice FROM THE TOP- DOWN 1. Policy Development ICT policy must be aligned with wider scale development strategies: ICT 4 D & ICT 4 E. FORESIGHT IS FOREKNOWLEDGE 2. Strategic Implementation and Planning Every stage of the process must be anticipated for integration to succeed. AGENTS OF CHANGE 3. ICTs in Teaching and Learning Children require new competencies to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. - Higher order thinking and problem solving skills, and ICT literacy & Life skills ACCESS, CAPACITY, AVAILABILITY 4. Infrastructure & Connectivity Without adequate infrastructure, technology deployment is a waste of resources. CONTINUOUS LEARNING 5. Monitoring & Evaluation Monitoring and evaluation is an integral part of the process of ICT integration. Without it the entire initiative is flawed, as continuous learning on different levels cannot be realised.

“The state of internet connectivity in Africa can be summed up as follows – too little, too expensive and poorly managed.” [2] [3] One survey [3] of African Universities’ connectivity status, shows that the average African university has almost equal the Internet connectivity capacity or bandwidth as the average American or European household, but with an associated cost at least 50 times that of the same American and European household. Access, capacity and availability are often worse for other educational institutions, such as primary and secondary schools. NRENS – National Research and Education Networks Distinct from commercial internet network Dedicated to the academic and research community Are of a high capacity Serve to advance research in fields critical to social and economic development NRENS can provide a national, regional and continental solution to connectivity in Africa, bringing the opportunity for knowledge sharing on a global level. [2] See National Research and Education Networks in Africa By Alex Twinomguisha (GeSCI) January 2007 [3] See African Tertiary Institutions Connectivity Survey (ATICS) at

Learning from the Past, Designing for the Future What can we do to expand the deployment of ICTs in developing countries, and to promote the effective use of these ICTs to achieve individual country educational, and community development objectives?

Collaborate Collaborate & Enable Enable

CollaborateResearch Addressing Research GapsAddressing Research Gaps North South CollaborationNorth South Collaboration Capacity Building Joint EffortsJoint Efforts Share ExperiencesShare Experiences

Enable Working Model Working Model TECH/NA! – the Namibian ICTs in Education Initiative TECH/NA! – the Namibian ICTs in Education Initiative Comprehensive strategy for integrating ICTs across the education sector Blends local expertise and international support Provides for holistic, coordinated and sustainable interventions Brings together local private, public and civil society partners as well international partners