Education Technology in Africa: Current Trends and Future Visions

Civic Technology (civic tech) is an emerging field in Africa that can potentially improve urban and rural governance. Civic tech and technology, more broadly, offer several benefits for social, economic, and developmental progress. In the African context, multiple, sometimes reinforcing challenges threaten socio-economic well-being. However, the potential of Education Technology (EdTech) to address these challenges is significant. EdTech is a form of civic tech that uses technology to make education more accessible and suited to learners’ needs, representing a beacon of hope. The trend of online teaching (and learning), sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic, will likely remain a feature of the global educational model. Leveraging EdTech for Africa will be a key strategy for skills development to attain more sustainable job creation. Based on secondary research and insights from five EdTech projects from the African continent, this chapter analyses the key opportunities and threats of the Edtech sector in Africa. While African EdTech initiatives equip learners with key skills and critical thinking approaches, challenges remain in implementing and sustaining EdTech in different African countries. Notable challenges include the widening digital divide, uneven accessibility to the internet, the threats of internet shutdowns in some African countries, and varying degrees of digital and technological literacy. We argue for greater government and policy support through delivering appropriate digital infrastructure and teacher training. The EdTech initiatives presented in this chapter showcase an entrepreneurial spirit alongside greater youth participation and collaboration in design processes and, ultimately, students’ curricula.