Even before reading this article on the level on education for African children, my and I’m sure many other people’s initial thoughts are that due to the low level of education in the continent as a whole and in this case Zambia, they are going to be very low.
So with the availability of e-learning to children in the country, this is only seen as a plus. Even with the country located near southern Africa, the level of opportunity is much greater for those children of the same age in the north of the continent.
One part of the article which caught my eye was that ‘Almost two-thirds of the children end their education at the primary level. Only one-third of the primary-school graduates have the opportunity to go on to a secondary education. Of those who enrol for primary education, less than 20 percent enter secondary school, and only 2 percent of the 20 to 24 age group enter a university or some other form of higher education’. So with e-learning coming into play for thousands of children around the country, this new way of learning can only be seen as a positive.
However these learning services would only be available to those who are in one of the main cities in Zambia. With these new classes becoming accessible through the internet, the only points would be from internet café’s or the lucky few who have it back at their homes. Not a reliable educational source considering the economy state.
But there is still hope is the radio educational service seems to be more hopeful and successful with more families and children have access to the box.
Zambia isn’t exactly the worst country in Africa coping with poverty for many families, in fact from the sound of this article it sounds that many families are doing well with the mention of children listening to music through their i-pods, CD’s and mobiles.
As the article states; ‘On the affordability of gadgets, John observed that the prices were now coming down and that parents should be able to afford them for their children. However, he suggested that it would be easier for all students to access these eLearning programmes on the radio, which was an ICT product that was found in almost every home, including rural households’.
As a whole though the prospect of learning on a higher level for young individuals in Zambia is certainly looking positive.
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Yes, there might well be several 'digital divides' at work here mightn't there? Rural girls -do they get a look in I wonder?
ReplyDeleteIn India -a place I know something about. One of the ways of using the Inet is that it feeds 'key' people who then re-distribute information via other means. Strangely, this is often mobile phone in Indian rural areas -but also bicycle and letter for the last few miles (Like telegrams of old).
Maybe in Zambia, a rural teacher's relative in a large town with Inet access may deliver material sent them by the regional educators for their relative? (or somesuch) Where there's a will there's a way. But radio can also be used to distribute the content of the Inet by skilled commentary and description -and that goes on in some regions of developing countries too.
Our expectations of the Inet tend to be 'privatised' because our culture is. But that's not yet true of everywhere.