CONCEPTNOTE

2ndAfricanMinisterialForumonICTIntegrationinEducation&Training

“AdvancinginclusiveknowledgesocietiesinAfricatoimplementAfrica’sAgenda2063&theSDGs”

8th–9thJune,2016Abidjan,Côted’Ivoire

Organizedby:

Hostedby:

GovernmentofCôted’IvoirethroughMinistryofNationalEducation

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Contentoftheconceptnote:1. Contextandrationale

2. Expectedoutcomes

3. Thematicareas/sessionsandstructure

4. Participants

1.ContextandrationaleTheAfricanMinisterialForumonICTIntegrationinEducationandTraining isaregionalpolicydialoguemechanism created by the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), the AfricanDevelopment Bank Group (AfDB), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO)andtheirpartnerstoassistmemberstatestoharnessthepotentialsofICTtoachievethegoalofinclusiveandequitablequalityeducationandlife-longlearningforall.1LaunchedinTunisonDecember9thto 11th, 2013 as the first Ministerial Forum, the mechanism brought together policymakers, experts,academia,researchinstitutions,developmentpartnersandrepresentativesofICTintheprivatesectorandcivilsocietyorganizations,providingaplatformforregionalhigh-levelpolicydialogueandknowledgesharingonhowtoeffectivelyandefficientlyintegrateICTsinto:

• providinguniversal access toqualityeducationand relevant lifelong learningopportunities toallAfricans;

• equippinglearnerswithskillsthatempowerthemtobecomefullactorsofknowledgesociety;and• promoting,througheducation,acultureofdigitalliteracyandcreativitynecessaryforAfricatobuild

innovationcapacityfortheICTindustryTheforumalsoaimsatprovidingasettingforincubatingpartnershipsandprojectsthatcouldpotentiallybesupportedbyrelevantactorsandstakeholders.Twoyearshavepassedsincethefirstedition.Meanwhile,theMillenniumDevelopmentGoals(MDGs)cametoanendandtheAfricanUnionCommission(AUC)announceditsvisionforthecontinent(Agenda2063),andfollowedthroughwiththedevelopmentofaScience,TechnologyandInnovation(STI)StrategyforAfrica(STISA2024),aTechnicalVocationalEducationandTraining(TVET)continentalstrategyandtheContinentalEducationStrategyforAfrica(CESA2016-2025)adoptedattheSummitofAfricanUnionHeadsofStateandGovernment in January 2016 as the Framework for Transformative Education and Training System. Atinternationallevel,theglobalcommunityendorsedanewandambitiousdevelopmentagendainSeptember2015,commonlyreferredtoasthe2030SDGsAgenda.Allabovementioneddevelopmentagendasstress 1Thisisreflectedinthe4thgoalofthe2030SustainableDevelopmentGoals(SDGs),oneducation,andtheobjectivesandpriorityareasoftheContinentalEducationStrategyforAfrica(CESA2016-2025),adoptedastheFrameworkforTransformativeEducationandTrainingSysteminJanuary2016–astrategythatrespondstoallthesevenaspirationsofAfrica’sAgenda2063,especiallythe7thaspiration(AnAfricawhosedevelopmentispeople-driven,relyingonthepotentialofAfricanpeople,especiallyitswomenandyouth,andcaringforchildren.)

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thecriticalroleICTscanplayinachievingdevelopmentgoalsingeneralandinimprovingquality,accessandequityofeducationandtrainingsystemsinparticular.On another note, the recently published World Bank’sWorld Development Report: Digital DividendsstipulatesthatdigitaldividesbetweenAfricaandtherestoftheworldandwithinAfrica-acrossgenerationsandruralandurbanareasandsocialgroups-remainconsiderable.Inotherwords,alotstillneedstobedone in Africa to effectively and efficiently leverage ICTs to achieve education policy objectives and,subsequently,socialandeconomicdevelopmentgoals.TheWorldBankreport’sstatementappliesalsototheeducationandtrainingsectorwhereonenoticesthemushrooming of pilot and small-scale projects and among these projects, very few become large-scalenational initiatives that can help achieve educational goals and democratize access to Internet andtechnologybeyondtheeducationalenvironment.ThemultiplicityofICTintegrationineducationprojects,designedanddevelopedbydevelopmentcooperationpartnersandwhicharenotnecessarilytalkingtoeachother, coupledwith the lack of large scale national ICT in education initiatives, are theoutcomeof thefollowingshortfalls:

• AfricangovernmentsandministriesinchargeofeducationandtrainingstillrequiretechnicalsupportfordevelopingandimplementingnationalICTineducationandtrainingpoliciesandstrategies;

• Atnationallevel,leadactorsandstakeholdersarestillworkinginsilos,preventingtheemergenceofecosystemsnecessaryforeffectiveICTintegration;

• WhendesigningICTintegration,mainfocusremainsthesystematcentrallevel,veryfewinitiativesareteacher-andschool-driven;

• LackofarticulationandalignmentbetweenICTineducationstrategieswithnationaldevelopmentpolicies;

• TheabsenceofmodelswithcleardefinitionsforICTintegrationineducationandhowsuchcanbeevaluatedandmeasuredforbetterplanningandimplementation;

• LackofownershipofICTineducationprojectsatcentralandlocallevels.Itisinthisframework,andasafollowuptothefirstforumheldinTunisin2013,thattheGovernmentofCôted’IvoirethroughtheMinistryofNationalandTechnicalEducationishostingthe2ndAfricanMinisterialForumonICTIntegrationinEducationandTraininginAbidjanfrom8thto9thJune2016,co-organizedbyADEA,GESCI,AfDB,IntelandOIF.2.ExpectedOutcomesTheexpectedoutcomesoftheAbidjan’sMinisterialForuminclude:

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a. AsharedunderstandingofRelevantandeffectiveICTintegrationinEducationandTraininginAfrica,and what it implies in terms of required paradigm shifts and policy and strategy development,implementationandsustainability.Thisalsoimplies:

• RaisingawarenessonthenecessitytobuildstrongandvolunteerpoliticalcommitmenttoengageeducationandtrainingsystemsinmethodicalandprogrammedICTintegration;

• Sharing knowledge, experiences, good practices and lessons learnt to better informapproachesandidentifyleversofchange,successandfailurefactorsofICTintegrationineducationandtraininginitiativesfromAfricaandbeyond.

b. Acommandingunderstandingof,andtheroleofeducationandICTsinbuildingknowledgesociety.c. Sharingknowledgeandexperienceinconnectionwithdigitalskillsdevelopmentandhowthiscan

fosteryouthemploymentandentrepreneurship.d. Promotionofanetworkthatincludesthepublicsector(ministriesaswellaseducationandtraining

systems, Regional Economic Communities or RECs); development cooperation agencies andinternationalorganizations suchas the InternationalTelecommunicationUnion (ITU); theprivatesector (Telco operators, ICT solution providers, digital and educational content developers); civilsocietyorganizations;thediaspora;youth;andICTandeducation-relatedNGOs.SuchanetworkisnecessaryforthedevelopmentofenvironmentsthatwillfosterpartnershipscriticaltotherelevanceandsustainabilityofICTintegrationineducationandtrainingpolicyandstrategydevelopmentandimplementation.

e. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) promoted between governments, educational services andcontent-development industry and technology companies to connect and engage in dialogue onways to foster the development of innovative initiatives and approaches that promote ICTintegrationineducationandtrainingthroughrelevantICTeducationalsolutionsalivetotheAfricancontext.

f. Strategies are suggested to help bridging the LearningOpportunity Access Dividewithin Africansocieties-urbanvsrural,genderandothermarginalizedpopulations-byidentifyinggame-changingexperiencesandlessonslearnt.

g. Awarenessisraisedontheimportanceofeconomicbenefitsforprivatesectoractorstocontributeto investments in ICT integration strategies and initiatives and to develop innovative fundingmechanismsbasedonconverginginterestbetweeneducationpolicyobjectivesandprivatesectoreconomicdevelopment.

3.Thematicareas/sessionsandstructure3.1.Thematicareas/sessions:Derivedfromtheaboveexpectedoutcomes,thefollowingthematicareastobeaddressedduringtheforumare intended toprovide conceptual andconcreteanswersandapproachesonhow identified levers can

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catalysethedynamicsthatpavethewayfortherequiredtransformationofAfrica’seducationandtrainingsystemsthroughrelevantandeffectiveintegrationofICT:

• NationalICTineducationandtrainingpoliciesandstrategies–lessonslearnedTypeofsession:PanelofexpertsRelevance:WhileAfricangovernmentsrecognisetheimportanceofleveragingICTsforimprovingaccessandqualityofeducation,theirapplicationsisveryweakinconnectionwithteachingandlearning (AfricanDevelopment BankGroup&World BankGroup, eTransformAfrica: ICTs forEducation inAfrica). Indeed, ICTapplication toeducationand training remains focused in theadministrationandmanagementofthesystem.Guidingquestions:WhatareAfricancountriesdoingtoleverageICTsinteaching/learning?Arepedagogyspecialistsandeducatorsrevisitingteaching/learningtheoriesandpracticesoraretheyjusttryingtoreproducetheclassicalpedagogicalscenariosthroughtheutilisationofICTs?Howisthisreflectedintermsofpolicies/strategiesingeneralandimplementationinparticular?Howis it redefining the teaching profession, role of teachers and, hence, teacher training andprofessionaldevelopment,pedagogicalresources,pedagogyandevaluationandassessment?

• EmpoweringmarginalizedpopulationsthroughICT-driveneducationinitiativesTypeofsession:PanelofexpertsRelevance:TheSDGNo.4callsupongovernmentsandtheglobalcommunityto“ensureinclusiveandequitablequalityeducationandpromotelifelonglearningopportunitiesforall”.CESA2016-2025,Africa'sframeworkforatransformativeeducationandtrainingsystemthatrelateswiththeglobalgoaloneducation,isguidedbysixprincipleswhichincludetherealisationthat"holistic,inclusiveandequitableeducationwithgoodconditionsforlifelonglearningissinequanonforsustainabledevelopment."Thesecommitmentstoinclusiveeducationarenotjusttheoutcomeofahumanrightsapproachtoeducationbutarealsodrivenbythefactthatnationswillnotbeable to achieve sustainable development and prosperity by leaving behind groups that couldpotentiallycontributetotheirsocio-economicdevelopment.Nationsarerequiredtotapintoalltheirpotentialstoachieveinclusivegrowthandsustainabledevelopment,andachievingthisveryambitious endeavour and ‘reaching the unreached’ can be facilitated through innovativepedagogicalmodelsandproperutilisationoftechnologies.Guidingquestions:HowcanICTsconcretelyhelp‘reachtheunreached’?Arethereanyeffectiveprojects implemented in Africa? How did these projects start?What research is available toinformAfricanpolicymakers?Havetheseprojectsbeenscaledupand,ifso,how?Whatarethelessonsintermsofpolicydevelopmentandimplementation?

• ICT applications in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)teaching/learningTypeofsession:PanelofexpertsRelevance: promoting STEM teaching/learning is key for the future of Africa in terms socialdevelopmentandeconomicgrowth.ThecontinentneedsSTEMskillstothinkanddriveitsgrowth,alsotakingintoaccountthegenderperspective.“IfAfricansaretosolveproblemsandtoleadsocialandeconomicdevelopmentintheirowncountries–ratherthanleavingittointernational

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aidagencies–allAfrican learnerswillneedhigher-levelSTEMskills»(WorldEconomicForum(WEF),2015).TheAU’sSTISA-2024placesscience,technologyandinnovationattheepicentreofAfrica’ssocio-economicdevelopmentandgrowth.Guidingquestions:HowcanICTscontributetoimplementingAU’sSTIstrategyandpromotingSTEMeducationinAfrica?Arethereanyscalableexperiencesorlarge-scaleinitiatives?HowcanAfricascaleupsuccessfulexperiencesandgobeyondpilots into large-scale initiativessoastoreachcriticalmasses?Whatarethelessonstobedrawnfromtheexperiencesthatarepresentedandthatcaninformon-going,aswellasnew,programmesandpolicies?

• ICTs and Technical and Vocational Skills Development (TVSD) for youth employment andentrepreneurship:promisingmodelsTypeofsession:MinisterialroundtableandasideeventonyouthandinnovationRelevance:AccordingtotheAfricanDevelopmentBank’sBriefingNoteonAfrica’sDemographicTrends,Africanpopulationaged15-39yearswillreach637millionby2030.2Whetherthisrapidincreaseinyouthpopulationwillbeleveragedforthegrowthofthecontinentorbecomeasourceof instability will depend, among others, on what relevant learning opportunities Africaneducationsystemsareprovidingtheyouth.Africacannotaffordnottoachievethedemographicdividend and government experts and development partners are required to come up withinnovativemodelstoskillAfricanyouthforemploymentandentrepreneurship.CESA16-25callsforthedevelopmentandimplementationofinnovativestrategiestoexpandTVETopportunitiesatbothsecondaryandtertiarylevelsandtostrengthenlinkagesbetweentheworldofworkandeducationandtrainingsystems.Guidingquestions:AreICTsbeingleveragedenoughbyTVET/TVSDpoliciesandprogrammesforskilling the youth and preparing them for the jobmarket or self-employment?What are theprofessionaldigitalskillsthatcanbedevelopedtoopenneweconomicopportunitiesintermsofemploymentorentrepreneurshipforAfricanyouth?Whyandhowshouldthisbedone?

• ICTintegration,distributedLeadershipandpolicycoherence

Typeofsession:MinisterialroundtableRelevance: The existence of so many pilot programmes and very few large scale ICT-driveninitiatives in education and training systems in Africa can be explained by (a) the lack ofarticulationoftheICTineducationpolicywithothersectorialpolicies(STIandICT),(b)thelackofalignmentwithnational,socialandeconomicdevelopmentpolicies,makingithardtomobilizethewholegovernmentandkeystakeholdersandrequiredresources,and(c)thelackofdistributedleadershiprequiredforcascadingthevisionsandambitionsdownwardandupward,andalsoforanalysing real problems and procurement of real solutions that will translate ambitions intoimplementablepolicies/strategiesandeffectiveprogrammes.Guidingquestions:Howcanwemovefromalogicofpilotstothatofexperimentingforscaleup?CanMinistriesofEducationdothisontheirownordotheyalsorequiretobringonboardotherknowledgesociety relatedministriessuchasministries inchargeofhighereducation,science,TVET,ICTs,etc.?Howcanthisbedone?Ispolicycoherenceaviableandsustainableapproachto

2 African Development Bank, Briefing Note 4 Africa’s Demographic Trends, p. 6, 2012.

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bringonboardotherministriesandbuildownershipofICTineducationpolicybyotherministerialdepartments?

• InclusiveknowledgesocietiesandtheroleofEducationandICTsTypeofsession:MinisterialroundtableRelevance: Building inclusiveknowledgesocieties inAfricapavesthewayforgrowthandtheimplementation of the sustainable development goals. The process of building a knowledgesociety is known to rely on 2 pillars (education and STI) and a driver (ICT). It is thereforefundamentalforleaders,policymakersandgovernmentadministratorstohaveacommandingunderstandingoftheconceptofknowledgesocietyandhowitfundamentallydependsonhowrelevantandimpactfuleducationpoliciesareandhowICTsareleveragedtopotentiallyachievesustainabledevelopmentandpromotethedevelopmentandexpressionofculturalandlinguisticdiversityforthebenefitofall.Guiding questions: How is developing knowledge society understood and hence reflected intermsofsocialandeconomicdevelopmentpolicies?Howdoesthisinfluencedefiningeducationpoliciesandoutcomes?And,whatwasexpectedfromICTsineducationpolicyformulationandimplementationintermsoflinkingeducationpoliciestobuildingknowledgesociety?

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3.2.Structure:The2ndAfricanMinisterialForumonICTIntegrationinEducationandTrainingisstructuredasfollows:

7June 8June 9June

Arrivalofparticipants ✔

MinisterialForum ✔ ✔

Innovation & PartnershipExhibition ✔ ✔ ✔

Socialization and networkingevents(duringevening) ✔ ✔ ✔

Sidemeetings ✔ ✔

4.ParticipantsTheMinisterialForumisexpectedtogatherapproximately140-150participantscomprising:

• Ministersinchargeofeducation,TVET,highereducation,andscientificresearch.• Policymakers and senior technical staff from Ministries in charge of education, TVET, higher

educationandscientificresearch.• Practitioners from the education, training, technology and skills development fields (technical

institutes,universities,researchinstitutes)• Participantsfromboththepublicandprivatesectorsinareasthatincludeeducation,trainingand

technology.• TheITCprivatesector.• Regionalandinternationalexpertsinvolvedinthedevelopmentandimplementationofeducation

andtrainingpoliciesandICTintegrationineducationandtrainingpolicies(developmentcooperationagencies,RegionalEconomicCommunities(RECs)).

• TheAfricandiasporawhohavedistinguishedthemselvesinthefieldofICTintegrationineducationandtraining.

• International,regionalandnationalmedia.• CivilSocietyOrganizations(CSOs)andadvocacyorganisations.• Youthorganizations