The Mastercard Foundation is preparing to launch an ICT Centre to harness the Power of ICT to transform education systems.
GESCI CEO, Jerome Morrissey with Ministers in charge of Education at the Mastercard Foundation Side Event during the Innovating Education in Africa Expo 2019.
19th August, 2019, Gaborone, Botswana: The Mastercard Foundation held a Ministerial Forum which was an official side event of the Innovating Education in Africa Expo a flagship event of the African Union Commission.The forum was attended by Ministers in charge of education from Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana,Ethiopia and the host country, Botswana as well partners from over 30 agencies.
The event provided ground for Mastercard foundation to introduce the objectives of the ICT centre.Director, Regional Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT, Mastercard Foundation, Joseph Nsengimana stated that the African ICT centre will:
- Support entrepreneurs to test and validate their innovation.
- Develop a series of test schools in countries for feedback for
- Provide best practice and what works in challenge areas identified by stakeholders
- Explore scaling up of Ed Tech solutions and serve as a neutral convener.
During the forum, Ministers shared issues their respective countries are facing in terms of ICT Integration in Education.GESCI CEO Jerome Morrissey was a panelist during the Ministerial Round-table, he shared on how GESCI is addressing teacher capacity development,whole school ICT integration through its African Digital Schools Initiative (ADSI) Programme currently under implementation in Kenya, Tanzania and Cote d'Ivoire.
Mr. Nsengimanna urged the countries present to identify challenges they experience and interventions will come in to address them.
All Ministers spoke about integration of ICTs in all learning and teaching grades with a focus on formative and summative assessments. Ghana noted they use Iboxes for schools to help with connectivity.
It was noted that we need to make sure teachers don’t feel dehumanized by ICTs. Technology is an enhancing tool for teachers and does not replace them.
A young person sponsored by MCF said that there is a need for Africa needs to develop its own Uber, Air BnB type enterprises, businesses that are nowhere but everywhere.
Mastercard Foundation funds GESCI's ADSI Programme.
