How 34 African countries used ICT in education and remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

COVID-19 globally exposed the weaknesses of many systems that humans rely upon day-to-day, including healthcare -, retail -, workplace - and education systems. The global lockdown requirements impacted everyone, but not equally. For example, the online retailer Amazon set new records in net sales revenue both in 2020 and 2021. 

Unfortunately, education systems around the world but significantly more so in Africa, experienced negative impact during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the report on the use of ICT in education during a crisis, “Gaps in policy, connectivity, infrastructure, and remote learning systems, among others, have limited the opportunities for the learning environment to fully tap into the potential of digital learning technologies.”

The study found that emergency programs put in place by African governments addressed the most urgent need, to sustain learning. These programs typically relied on radio and TV programs, self-learning booklets, and in some cases, they used digital tools and the internet. 

The graph below shows the percentage of primary and secondary schools per country, with at least one computer. 

“The use of ICT in education holds immense potential for transforming the African educational, landscape.” The authors recognise that unlocking this potential is complex. There are many elements to be addressed including infrastructure, digital literacy for both the teachers and youth, affordability, and all this needs to happen within the context of addressing extreme poverty and hunger in many (especially remote) areas. “The issue of empowerment of populations in rural and remote areas is a matter of significant importance.”

The “Study on the use of ICT in Education and remote learning during crises in 34 African countries” was published on 25 May 2023 by The Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA).