How ed-tech transforms access to education, training and jobs
Education has always been a gateway to job opportunities and poverty reduction. But what happens when that education is out of reach?
Millions of youth across Africa cannot physically access high school or university. Or they may attend schools that don’t have enough teachers. For those who go to school, many students don’t learn skills that workplaces want.
That’s why ed-tech entrepreneurs are creating systems that make quality education accessible. Teachers can update their material and presentations for online platforms, while students learn skills that can land them jobs.
Two such entrepreneurs working with the International Trade Centre (ITC) attended the multinational eLearning Africa event in Kigali on 29-31 May 2024. Zeenode is an ed-tech company based in Uganda, and Ivorian startup Etudesk works in 18 African countries. Both work with the NTFV #FastTrackTech project at ITC.
’Education technology is a great enabler. It can provide education to all students. It can help teachers improve. And it can improve the very quality of education, with personalized learning experiences offered on a variety of platforms,’ said Dean Rwothomio, CMO of Zeenode. ‘The journey of ed-tech has just begun and the possibilities are endless.’
Lamine Barro, CEO of Etudesk, believes tech can address the critical skills gap between education and jobs: ‘The learning content is not adapted to what the markets are demanding. We need to understand the needs of corporations and entrepreneurs and build learning and training programs adapted to those needs.’
Both entrepreneurs acknowledged the steep challenges to their visions.
Access to electricity and internet is still low or non-existent in some areas. Internet services can be expensive. Educators need to be trained in digital literacy. The entrepreneurs say that governments should offer grants and tax breaks for ed-tech, while ensuring online safety.
But they say online platforms can expand access to quality education. That means better opportunities for girls and people in rural communities.
Universities around Africa use Zeenode’s products to create effective learning experiences. Etudesk is forming an ed-tech consortium with 30 companies in eight countries to address education and job market challenges.
Rwothomio and his partners started Zeenode to address the frustrations they faced as students in Uganda. Students often wake up at 4:00 am to stand in long queues for basic services like registration cards, exam cards, or to make payments, only to have to return the following day because the computer system had crashed.
‘We vowed to improve the student experience by creating access with the click of a button, and help the administration make informed decisions based on real-time data. We broke down the university data silos and created an integrated information management flow. We created the change we wanted to see help future generations of students and administrators,’ Rwothomio said.
Now students and teachers have clear and timely access to data, exams, and other services without having to travel.
‘That is not to say that ed-tech is a magic solution. But it is a powerful tool that can transform education in Africa,’ said Rwothomio. ‘We need to provide contextualized solutions. We need to offer continuous improvement so as to empower learners, and equip educators and drive positive change across the continent. A population that is not exposed to technology today is putting itself at a very big disadvantage tomorrow.’
The Netherlands Trust Fund (NTF) has supported Zeenode since 2020, with training on sustainable business practices and international certifications, and taking them to regional and international trade meetings.
Africa’s young population means more pressure for already limited schools. Students and teachers need support beyond traditional one-size-fits-all education.
The next challenge is preparing students for the needs of the job market. ‘Unemployment is so critical that parents, students and companies realize we have to provide more than the actual education system, and our solution was to develop new curriculum,’ explained Barro.
NTF has worked with Etudesk since 2021 to offer networking and participating in eLearning conferences. At one event, the company landed a deal with the Mastercard Foundation.
Etudesk lets colleges deliver online learning. Its courses offer certification in fibre optics, sales, human resource processes, and more. Barro said the courses aren’t yet validated by the government, but he said Etudesk works with employers to ensure the courses’ quality and relevance.
Rwothomio added that governments and funders should consider how to ensure ed-tech programmes are effective and to incentivize innovation through grants, loans and tax breaks and public-private partnership.
‘We need to approach learning innovation holistically, deploy up-to-date trends and tools, think about digital accessibility, tailor to existing unique needs, provide continuous improvement and ensure teacher buy-in through proper training,’ he said.
About the project
The Netherlands Trust Fund V (NTF) (July 2021 – June 2025) is based on a partnership between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands and the International Trade Centre. The programme supports MSMEs in the digital technologies and agribusiness sectors. Its ambition is two-fold: to contribute to an inclusive and sustainable transformation of food systems, partially through digital solutions, and drive the internationalization of tech start-ups and export of IT&BPO companies in selected Sub-Saharan African countries.
