ICTworks

GESCI has recently published two papers trying to tease out key issues related to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and their integration to national education and training systems in Sub-Saharan Africa;

1. Re-engineering Education and Training for Economic and Social Development in the 21st Century: A Focus on Technology and Skills Development in National Education and Training Systems in Africa was developed for the Ministerial Roundtable at the e-Learning Africa conference in May 2011 to open up discussions around ‘how’ technology use can be used to support education re-engineering for socio-economic development in the 21st Century.
2. Skills for Employability: The Role of Information & Communication Technologies takes a slightly broader perspective on challenges and interventions within the field of Skills Development, looking at how ICT offers various possibilities to make a significant difference in addressing issues of quality, access and equity.

The education and training systems of Sub-Saharan African countries are under increasing pressure to address issues that affect the very core of their countries’ economic and social development. The preparation of graduates for jobs – both those demanded now, as well as those projected – with the required skills, abilities and competencies for the 21st Century knowledge based-economy and marketplace is a long and complex process which requires an integrated, holistic and inter-sectoral approach guided by strong leaders.

For effective interventions, education and training have to be viewed as interrelated drivers for socio economic development, and while the appropriate solution for a specific country will always be unique, some commonalities are identified.

The possibilities in efficient deployment of ICT to modernise Technical and Vocational Skills Development curricula, increase relevance of skills provision and expand enrollment capacity of institutions should be harnessed. ICT have a central role to play in bridging the Technical and Vocational Skills Development learning environment to the world of work, and with increasing outreach of infrastructure and connectivity and constantly declining costs for equipment ICT integration to Technical and Vocational Skills Development is within reach.