What gaps need to be filled to improve access to quality education for the underserved?
In this sci-fi age of Google Glass and SpaceX, it is not out of place for one to wonder the potential that technology and innovation hold in solving some of the most pressing problems that are faced by developing countries and their people. A double-barreled problem in Africa, and key to unlocking the massive potential of the continent if addressed, is limited access to education and very high rates of youth unemployment and underemployment. The two are connected.
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), which are academic and technical courses powered by technology and innovation, are mostly free and accessible with an internet connection from any part of the world. MOOCs have become so successful that former President Barack Obama endorsed them in his State of the Union address in August 2013. Then, the White House also proposed a $260 million fund to support innovative approaches to improving higher education outcomes in the United States. But the United States and most of the Western world are light years ahead of African states in terms of access to quality education and active support to innovative approaches to improving higher education outcomes. So why does this matter for Africa?
State of the Union Africa
It is no longer news that about 40-80% of the entire populations in most sub-Saharan African countries live on less than two dollar a day. Majority of the continent’s people live in rural areas with poor infrastructure. The cost of education is prohibitive for majority of families and people of school age. It is still a luxury in many far-removed villages to have a lighted bulb at night. For millions, the technology which powers open education is inaccessible. In some areas cultural, religious, social and economic factors hinder access to basic education.
The wave of revolution activated by MOOCs in the education sector is yet to fully penetrate Africa. MOOCs are different from brick-and-mortar classrooms in fun, convenient, engaging and pocket-friendly ways. At EduTrust Foundation, we see MOOCs and other innovative approaches to expanding access to education as a complement to brick-and-mortar classrooms, not as a replacement. Can anything be done differently to fast-track universal primary completion to the poorest girls in sub-Saharan Africa? We think YES!
“Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world,” in the wise words of Nelson Mandela. It gets better: supercharge that weapon with technology and innovative use of local resources and we can make that change happen a lot faster, more effectively and equitably.
We can learn a lot from MOOCs in terms of improving the quality of teaching and learning, tearing down the walls of the classroom and making education accessible to all. The takeaway is this: don’t just bring people to school; take the school to people. To do this however is not exactly as cool as it seems; it involves working hard and working smart.
The underserved
For those underserved by the formal schools sector, their clear and present need is not specialised education on space science and exploration but accessible, affordable, relatable and useable educational resources that are meaningful in terms of improving their opportunities for securing jobs and earning a decent income, or equipping them with skills that will enable them create opportunities for themselves and their communities and generate a livable income.
Educational tools and resources must be accessible, affordable, relatable and useable
The above four conditions apply not only to resources for students but also to resources for teachers of underserved students and communities. Some tertiary schools and departments now have institutional subscription to e-libraries, online resources and interactive spaces for students. Sadly the cost and conditions for entry into such schools remain prohibitive for millions.
Bridging the G—A—P
What gaps need to be filled to improve access to quality education for the underserved? What needs to be done to make the teaching and learning experience better? For the underserved, useful resources that already exist can be leveraged and adapted to improve the learning experience. The pressure points here are at the basic, pre-university, university and immediate post-university (first degree) levels. Below are seven important factors.
What will success look like?
In our brave new world of ultra-high-speed, seamless interconnectivity of bandwidth, ideas, people, finance, resources, products and services, nearly anything is possible in cyberspace. Education is not spared in the global move towards digitization and the Internet of Things. The move is inevitable. Therefore, a major challenge to stakeholders in the education sector is to pool together a critical mass of teachers and educators with the right balance of knowledge, skills and commitment to drive change, fueled by innovations in the ICT sector, backed up by positive policy, action and incentives for learning.
Success in this case is not a one-stop destination. Success will entail working towards a meeting point between the processes and the outcomes of the formal education sector and innovative methods for improving the learning experience for the underserved. It will also entail going beyond creating a better learning experience to facilitating the infusion of such learning, knowledge and skills into productive sectors of the society.
Any initiative which seeks to accomplish the above should work closely with existing structures and educational institutions, youth groups and relevant MDAs. Connecting resources to areas of need would also require facilitating partnerships with the private sector, tech companies, NGOs and civil society, and development partners.
Help grow our ideas bank
EduTrust Foundation is shopping for ideas to make our E-Schools Initiative and innovative use of local resources for education work better for communities in Nigeria and in other African countries.
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