British Council, Bharti Airtel provides access to digital learning

Over half a million teachers and learners in nine countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are set to experience a step change in access to digital educational resources in their schools.

Christian Turner, British High Commissioner with a pupil of Kilimani Primary School during the launch of a digital hub. Image credit: Diana Ngila via www.businessdailyafrica.com

"This latest partnership initiative with Bharti Airtel demonstrates our commitment to improving access to high-quality teaching and learning in Africa. The British Council connects teachers and learners around the world, so they can learn from each other, access knowledge and ultimately become global citizens.

"Through our Schools programme and ICT integration across Sub-Saharan Africa, we provide teachers with high-quality, cost-effective Professional Development opportunities. Our digital ambassadors are now implementing ICT and innovative teaching practice in classrooms across the continent.

"Over the past year, British Council and Microsoft have trained 2,000 teachers and headteachers in innovative pedagogy and ICT skills in partnership with the Kenyan Ministry of Education. Kenya continues to lead the way in sub-Saharan Africa in providing access to digital learning opportunities to their students," says Tony Reilly, country director, Kenya.

Full internet accessibility

The partnership with Bharti Airtel will provide full internet accessibility to British Council Hubs, surrounding schools and communities. Digital Hubs have already been set up through partnerships with Microsoft in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Ghana and Nigeria. High speed broadband access from Bharti Airtel for these hubs guarantees teachers and students limitless new educational opportunities. The Hubs in Schools serve as ICT centres for teachers, students and wider communities.

Over the last three years, thousands of schools across Sub-Saharan Africa have benefitted from British Council's work supporting educators to improve their teaching and learning process through ICT. British Council supports ICT initiatives in African schools that are sustainable and teacher-centered.

"With the hub we have been able to reduce the amount of time we spend on lesson planning. With full connectivity now, the teachers and students can now interact with others around the world, thus making them global citizens," says head teacher of Kilimani Primary School, Gideon Wasike.

The partnership with Bharti Airtel builds on the Badiliko partnership between the British Council and Microsoft that supports ICT integration in schools across the region. Bharti Airtel aims to improve the quality of life of communities through their corporate social responsibility work in education.

"Our engagement in the development of education in Kenya is in line with Bharti Airtel's Corporate Social Responsibility vision to uplift the standard of living in the communities through the improvement of infrastructure in the institutions, ensuring access to better quality education for the students and communities in general," says David Ssegawa, chief Human Resource Officer of Bharti Airtel.

Linking classrooms

British Council has invested in digital interventions that enable African schools to participate in the global exchange of knowledge and ideas. Improved ICT skills enable teachers to link their classrooms to others globally, adding an international dimension to their educational experience and fostering mutual understanding.

In order to support governments to consider good practice in this area, the British Council has organised policy dialogue workshops in several countries highlighting key aspects in ICT intervention. This involves professional development for teachers and school leaders, infrastructure, curriculum, policy engagement and robust monitoring and evaluation.

British Council operates a number of similar educational programmes including Connection Classrooms, Commonwealth Class and Badiliko to support schools across Africa. Over 600 schools in Kenya are currently benefiting from these British Council programmes.