Technology African public-private partnerships are fast-tracking education improvement from primary school to university, potentially levelling the playing field for millions of students worldwide.
In the face of electricity shortages and over-crowding, African public-private partnerships are integrating technology in education to enhance learning. Broadband supports tablets, laptops, and online courses to reach students with poor or no access to education, improve teacher training, and lower costs, according to a recent report by UNESCO.
For example, Africa’s e-learning market has doubled from 2011 to 2016, reaching $513-million, according to a report by market researchers Ambient Insights. South Africa is Africa’s largest e-learning market, along with Angola, Nigeria, and Tunisia. Meanwhile, Senegal, Kenya, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are posting 25% annual e-learning market growth.
“Africa is one the world’s most dynamic education markets. Public-private partnerships show best practices for using technology to reach marginalised students with technology that students use in their daily lives. Africa presents exciting business opportunities for education technology vendors and startups worldwide,” says Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice-president: exhibitions and events management at Dubai World Trade Centre, host of GITEX Technology Week.
GITEX Technology Week will host the Africa Investment Forum, in partnership with Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Authority. Over 20 African countries will show how technology can enhance verticals, support foreign direct investment in ICT, and drive economic growth.
The Arabian Gulf states and South Africa enjoy strong trade ties, especially in electronics, construction, and defence. Trade between South Africa and the UAE, where Dubai is the largest city, reached about $3-billion in 2015, and the governments are hoping to double its value in the coming years, according to the South African Consulate General in Dubai.
