Digitalization In Teaching And Education In Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi .

21. IntroductionThe advancement of technology and the transformation of the knowledge economy has significantlyimpacted the workforce needs of today, with increasing demand for knowledge-based workers that areequipped in particular with digital skills and that are adaptable to shifting labour markets and workplaces.In light of these changes, countries are increasingly looking to build cultures of innovation that would resultin new ways of thinking and creating, of developing solutions to pressing issues and of driving sustainableeconomic growth and social benefits. To fully participate in and contribute to the knowledge economy andsociety, core competencies, which are often presented as twenty-first century skills – collaboration, communication, digital literacy, creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving, among others – are essential.Digital skills are often regarded as vital for the acquisition of other twenty-first century skills, especially ina growing digital society and economy.1This rapidly changing context has accelerated a revolution in education that is reflective of labour markettrends of flexibility and innovation. Education systems, however, have progressed at a different pace thanlabour markets, resulting in a mismatch between jobs and skills. Research indicates that young people lackthe adequate skills, most notably digital skills, to respond to the rapidly changing world of work.2 As muchas the changing context is impacting students, it is also shifting the conditions and the nature of work ofteachers, who themselves need to develop the same skills that are increasingly required by society andthe economy. Lack of digital skills on the part of teachers can limit the adoption of digital technology in theclassroom. Embracing lifelong learning as a principle of capacity development is essential. For teachers thismeans an openness and commitment to new and interactive pedagogical approaches, use and integrationof new technologies in teaching and learning and ongoing acquisition of emerging skills. Preparation forthis should begin in pre-service training with qualified teacher trainers.Lifelong learning needs to be coupled with institutional commitments to quality education as a basic rightfor all, provisions of effective and responsive pre-service training, support for continuous professionaldevelopment (CPD) and assurances of decent work and fair remuneration for teachers. In the countriesanalyzed in this report, deficits in all these areas continue to persist, with inadequate wages and benefits,lack of meaningful input from teachers, insufficient investment in CPD and lack of prioritization of digitalskills development in training programmes. This is compounded by an absence of related infrastructureand affordability of equipment needed to support acquisition of digital skills and to enable participation inthe digital world. Addressing these trends can positively impact the working conditions of teachers and thequality of education, and enhance the capacity of the education sector to respond to and prepare learnersfor the changing social and economic environment.Digital technologies are also impacting the administration and management of schools, including throughthe collection of data and information to improve teacher management processes and to inform educationplanning and policy-making. It has provided new ways for monitoring and evaluating student learning, aswell as new avenues of communication between teachers, parents, schools, communities and governments.These processes involve investments in appropriate infrastructure, digital tools and digital skills for thosebeyond teachers, including administrators and school leaders, who can play a significant role in encouragingthe integration of technology in teaching and learning and education management.In consideration of the above, this report synthesizes the findings of ten case studies in five EasternAfrican countries on digitalization in primary and secondary school teaching and education, including inthe context of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The focal countries are Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi,Rwanda and the United Republic of Tanzania3 – countries that are looking to further digitalization efforts in the education sector as part of national strategies for socio-economic development as well as to1International Bureau of Education (IBE)-UNESCO, “Twenty-first Century Skills”.2ILO and International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Digital Skills and the Future of Work: Challenges and Opportunities in a Post COVID-19 Environment,Discussion Note, 2020.3The country studies can be accessed at: www.ilo.org/education.

1. Introductionachieve the aspirations of the African Union’s Agenda 2063. The findings of the studies are based on ananalysis of relevant policies, research reports and news media as well as interviews with key educationstakeholders and international organizations and development partners. The studies were launched aspart of a pilot phase for an ILO-GIZ initiative on Digitalization, the future of work and the teaching profession,which explored how education systems and the teaching profession are adapting to changing social andeconomic conditions, with a primary focus on digitalization. The report first outlines the findings of thestudies conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and then presents the implications of the pandemicon digitalization in teaching and the work of teachers. It uses the conclusions and findings of the studiesto develop action points for a way forward.3

42. The ILO and the teaching professionSkills, education, training and lifelong learning have long been an integral part of the ILO’s mandate onemployment promotion and decent work. The ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work, adopted in2019, directs the efforts of the ILO, among other priorities, to “promoting the acquisition of skills, competencies and qualifications for all workers throughout their working lives as a joint responsibility of governmentsand social partners”. To address this challenge, the Declaration calls on ILO Members to strengthen thecapacities of all people to benefit from the opportunities of a changing world of work through “effectivelifelong learning and quality education for all”.4 The Declaration draws on principles of quality educationand skills development which had previously been elaborated by the ILO in the Conclusions on skills forimproved productivity, employment growth and development (2008),5 the Human Resources DevelopmentRecommendation, 2004 (No. 195), the Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) and thePaid Educational Leave Convention, 1974 (No. 140).Teachers have been part of the ILO mandate since the adoption of the 1966 ILO/United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.6 Theprinciples of this Recommendation, as well as those of the 1997 UNESCO Recommendation concerning theStatus of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel, are regularly examined by the Joint ILO–UNESCO Committeeof Experts on the Application of the Recommendations concerning Teaching Personnel (CEART), establishedin 1968. Teachers and educators are covered by the ILO’s fundamental principles and rights at work and awide range of international labour standards.Together with international labour standards on training, the 1966 Recommendation sets out a numberof principles that can inform digitalization in teaching. These include the provision of financial support forstudents enrolled in teacher preparation programmes, the provision of opportunities and incentives forteachers to participate in CPD and the participation of teachers and their organizations in the developmentand dissemination of teaching methods. While the extent of the digital education environment was clearlynot foreseen by the drafters of the 1966 Recommendation, the instrument also sets out thatAuthorities should provide teachers and pupils with modern aids to teaching. Such aids should not beregarded as a substitute for the teacher but as a means of improving the quality of teaching and extendingto a larger number of pupils the benefits of education.Authorities should promote research into the use of such aids and encourage teachers to participateactively in such research.7These considerations remain important as countries develop and adapt policies on the teaching professionin the context of increasing digitalization of education and training.4ILO, ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work, 2019.5ILO, Conclusions on Skills for Improved Productivity, Employment Growth and Development, International Labour Conference, 97th Session, 2008.6ILO and UNESCO, ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers (1966), and UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status ofHigher-Education Teaching Personnel (1997), 2016.7ILO/UNESCO Recommendation (1966), paragraph 88.

53. Digitalization in teaching and educationDigitalization is broadly understood to be a change process that transforms and restructures industries,sectors and social life more generally through digital tools and technologies. Within the scope of this report,digitalization focuses on the use of digital tools and technologies for education management through datacollection and analysis systems and for teaching and learning, including the development of necessarycapacities amongst teachers and learners.Digital technologies are fundamentally transforming the delivery and role of education, from pedagogyand curricula to teaching and learning modalities and location (in-person, virtually or at a distance). Forthe teaching profession it has facilitated less hierarchical, more interactive and learner-centred approachesto teaching and learning. Digital technology creates potential for more inclusive and quality education,but is limited by infrastructural deficits and barriers to access including affordability of equipment andresources. These challenges are more pronounced in developing countries. According to the InternationalTelecommunication Union (ITU), approximately 87 per cent of individuals in developed countries used theinternet in 2019. This is compared to only 19 per cent in the least developed countries.8 The COVID-19 pandemic, which interrupted learning for nearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 190 countries,9 demonstratedthe critical need for connectivity during times of crisis for education, health services and livelihoods, leadingto growing discussion of connectivity as a human right.10In the focal countries, with some variation, fundamental challenges to the integration of digital technologyin schools include: lack of electricity; poor internet connectivity and limited broadband; deficits in digitalfacilities in schools; absence of equipment and devices in schools and at home; insufficient safe storage fordevices and equipment in schools; outdated technology; lack of affordable technology, technology-relatedservices and data and internet bundles; weak data management; and funding shortfalls. These challengesare greater in rural and remote areas and in low income communities and households. Without universalaccess to digital infrastructure, up-to-date technology and connectivity, digital divides can widen existingsocial and economic inequalities, excluding millions from decent work opportunities and broader participation in an increasingly digital world. Increasing privatization of education in some countries has alsoproduced concerns about disparity in access to digital technologies.The digital competencies of teachers are another success factor in integrating digital tools for teachingand learning. Teachers, as well as teacher trainers, require training and CPD to effectively use digital toolsand resources in (in-person and/or virtual) classrooms. In the focal countries, to varying degrees, lack ofaccess to infrastructure and digital devices, teacher trainers with requisite digital skills, outdated teachertraining curricula and limited financing for ongoing CPD are some of the major challenges to the digitalcapacity development of teachers. This is in addition to reluctance on the part of some teachers to takeup technology to facilitate learning. In the context of globalization and massification, which carry risks ofhomogenization, it is increasingly being recognized that capacity development should take into accountthe local political, economic and social environments of countries.11Policies play an important role in guiding and facilitating the integration of information and communicationtechnology (ICT) in education. Along with guiding digitalization in the education sector, policies work tostrengthen administration, financial management and accountability. Present in all the focal countries,these include national ICT policies, education sector ICT policies and frameworks and strategies to directimplementation and guide future directions, including on ICT use in teacher training and development (seebox 1 for a short overview of some of these policies). Looking at the experiences of the focal countries, whileprogress has been achieved in some areas, several challenges can be identified. In the United Republic ofTanzania, policies and frameworks require further implementation, which is often hindered by infrastructural8ITU, Measuring Digital Development: Facts and Figures 2020, 2020.9UNESCO, “COVID-19 Educational Disruption and Response”, 13 April 2020.10Anne-Marie Grey, “The Case for Connectivity, the New Human Right”, United Nations Chronicle, 10 December 2020.11United Nations, Report of the Secretary General: Roadmap for Digital Cooperation, 2020.

6Digitalization in teaching and education in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda and the United Republic of Tanzaniadeficits, and updating due to the evolving nature of technology. In Malawi, an ICT policy in education isyet to be developed, while in Ethiopia, there is an absence of a comprehensive teacher preparation anddevelopment policy as well as school-level ICT policies. Overall, effective policy implementation requiresmonitoring and evaluation and sustained funding, including in infrastructure development.X Box 1. ICT Policies in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda and the United Republic of TanzaniaMost of the ICT policies in the focal countries emerged in the mid-2000s and built on earlier discussions and plans to digitalize the economy and society. In Ethiopia, early ICT policy includedthe 2006 ICT in Education Implementation Strategy and Action Plan and the 2009 National ICTPolicy and Strategy. Ethiopia’s current ICT policy is captured within the 2016 National ICT Policyand Strategy. ICT policy in Kenya included the 2006 National ICT Policy and the 2006 NationalICT Strategy for Education and Training, the former of which was revised in 2019 to respond torapid changes and developments in technology. Malawi’s National ICT Policy was rolled out in2013 to provide the regulatory context for the use of ICT in the country, including in the education sector. Rwanda developed an ICT in Education Policy in 2016, which was preceded by a sequence of plans to integrate ICT across sectors to transition Rwanda to a knowledge economy.In the United Republic of Tanzania, the 2003 National ICT Policy, which was revised in 2016, wasdeveloped to provide more affordable access to a range of ICT services to enhance sustainablesocio-economic development. This policy is complemented by the 2007 ICT Policy for Basic Education, which guides integration of ICT in education.Despite the many challenges, the growing use of mobile phones in Sub-Saharan Africa has offered opportunities to reach students without internet connectivity, through SMS and phone calls, and those withinternet access, through messaging applications and learning platforms, during the COVID-19 pandemic.At the end of 2019, 45 per cent of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa subscribed to mobile services, withsmartphone adoption rising rapidly, reaching 50 per cent of total connections in 2020. The number of mobilesubscribers and smartphone connections is projected to increase in the coming years.12 In some countries,including Ethiopia and Malawi, ministries of education worked with mobile operators and telecom providersto continue learning during school closures, including by removing fees for accessing education content,reducing data costs and connection rates and creating public internet hot spots.133.1 Technology and education and teacher managementDigital technologies are playing an increasing role in the management of education and teachers throughthe ongoing collection, maintenance and dissemination of timely and accurate data and information. Asystem of particular importance in the focal countries is the Education Management Information System(EMIS), which collects educational data and information about schools and schooling to inform policy planning and decision-making, including effective resource allocation. The information generated can assistwith monitoring and evaluating education sector performance and outcomes as well as progress towardsachieving SDG 4 on quality education. The Teacher Management Information System (TMIS), which collectsteacher-focused data and information to be used for, among other things, training, recruitment and deployment, enhances the data collected through EMIS. The overall objective of EMIS and TMIS is to ensurequality teaching and learning through analysis of reliable data and information.The development of EMIS and TMIS has not been even across the focal countries. Despite differences, thereare common challenges experienced by the countries. One such challenge is low  internet connectivity,12GSM Association, The Mobile Economy: Sub-Saharan Africa 2020, 2020.13Salman Asim, Shelby Frances Carvalho and Ravinder Gera, “Learning Equity during the Coronavirus: Experiences from Africa”, World Bank Blogs, 3 June2020.

3. Digitalization in teaching and educationresulting in the manual collection of data through hardcopy formats, which can lead to delays in reportingand accuracy issues. This challenge can be further aggravated by lack of electricity and limited broadband,especially in rural and remote areas, as experienced in the United Republic of Tanzania. In Kenya, thecollection of similar data at different times by various directorates, semi-autonomous government agencies and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC)14 has undermined data harmonization and institutionalcoordination, which could result in conflicting policy decisions. This concern is compounded by incompletedata sets due to poor response rates, particularly in private schools. In Ethiopia, the need for greater digitalliteracy among teachers, administrators, school leaders and education officials to facilitate the collectionand analysis of data requires attention. A similar challenge, in addition to lack of appropriate devices, wasnoted in Rwanda, although examples of supportive initiatives, including those that support effective schoolleadership, are present. For example, the University of Rwanda – College of Education (URCE), with thesupport of VVOB – Education for Development, offers a year-long diploma programme to school leadersand education officials in strengthening school leadership. The programme is offered online and containsa unit on the use of ICT in school leadership and management.15Some countries have put other internalized systems in place to collect school-related data and information, such as the School Information System in the United Republic of Tanzania, which is used to collectinformation on teacher and student performance, daily attendance and other school management activities. The system makes information accessible to all administrative levels in the education system via theinternet to inform decision-making. However, the system is only being used in a few regions due to lowinternet connectivity.Further advancement of information systems will require investments in infrastructure, technology andhuman capacity, as well as commitment on the part of school leadership for full adoption and implementation. As technology continues to play a more prominent role in education, accessing data and informationon the integration of ICT in educational systems is increasingly important. This will require EMIS to adapt tonew data needs to monitor progress toward quality education.16 In addition to adapting to new data needs,it is vital that the data collected be used ethically and not in ways that exert undue control over teachers’work and human resource decisions.173.2 Digital skills training and development for teachersThe benefits of digital technology can be best realized when strategically introduced and used by skilledand confident teachers. Data on the proportion of teachers meeting required digital competencies remainslacking; however, across the focal countries, it is reported that there is a significant sho

3. Digitalization in teaching and education 5 3.1 Technology and education and teacher management 6 3.2 Digital skills training and development for teachers 7 3.3 Pedagogical uses of technology 8 3.4 Ethical and critical use of digital technology 11 4. COVID-19 and digitalization in teaching and education 12