Ahead of the World Economic Forum in Cape Town this week, Intel® Corporation has announced a comprehensive initiative to improve teaching and learning in South Africa and Nigeria. Under the Intel World Ahead Program, Intel will donate 8000 PCs for distribution through education departments in South Africa and Nigeria and is expanding the number of teachers to be trained through the Intel® Teach to the Future Programme. Intel is also working with countries within the African continent to adapt the skooolTM online curriculum content for specific country needs, and working with the local eco-system on connectivity models to enable e-learning schools.
The announcement follows the official launch of the global World Ahead initiative earlier this month by Intel President and CEO, Paul Otellini, to speed up access to technology and information in developing markets. The initiative, focused on the three key areas of accessibility, connectivity and education, will see over $1 Billion of investment from Intel over the next five years, including the donation of 100,000 PCs worldwide.
In South Africa, Intel is working with the government, SA Council for Educators and educators themselves to ensure that teacher training and donated PCs are implemented in a holistic, sustainable manner that supports 21st century teaching and learning. Intel believes it is critical that the implementation model include all four components of the effective use of technology in education: appropriate technology, teacher training, relevant content, and connectivity.
“Intel is committed to digital transformation in Africa. Since opening its South African office 10 years ago, Intel has become involved in a growing number of programmes and initiatives in the region. Many of these focus on education for all Africans. Today’s PC donation, in conjunction with Intel initiatives such as the Intel® Teach to the Future programme and skoool™ online curriculum content, are aimed at improving teaching and learning through the effective integration of ICT,” says Mark Beckford, General Manager Intel Emerging Markets Platforms Group.
The Deputy Director General of Education, Penny Vinjevold, was present to acknowledge and accept Intel’s commitment of PC’s and teacher training on behalf of the Department of Education. A plaque symbolizing this commitment was formerly presented to Ms Vinjevold by Mark Beckford of Intel.
A key component of the Intel World Ahead Program is the “Discover the PC” initiative aimed at making the benefits of new PC technology more broadly available to people in developing nations. The focus is on delivering products and technologies that are specifically designed to meet the unique needs and usage models of developing markets, and to supplement Intel’s existing programs in education and technology adoption.
This comprehensive initiative is further proof of Intel’s sustained and serious commitment to education. Intel Corporation already has an established education programme in South and sub-Saharan Africa. To date, more than 30,000 educators have been trained through the Intel® Teach to the Future programme in South Africa. Intel recently launched the programme in Nigeria, with the goal of training 150,000 teachers over the next three years. Intel’s on-line curriculum, skoool, has also been launched in Nigeria and Ghana, with plans to partner with a service provider in South Africa to host this localized e-learning content.
In addition, Intel is working closely with a number of fixed line and mobile operators in Africa to drive the implementation of wireless connectivity technologies that can scale faster and offer more cost effective deployment such as WiMAX. This has been instrumental in aligning the eco-system to launch Africa’s first WiMAX enabled school in Ghana and Africa’s first mobile e-learning school in Nigeria, as well as a comprehensive digital inclusion programme, with government support, in Ghana.
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