LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC) has emphasized the need for the sector’s stakeholders to invest much in Education Technology (EdTech).
The appeal comes as Ministry of Education has opened up with formidable policies that accelerate EdTech implementation in the sector.
CSEC and Educatio Ministry are into partnership in driving sustainable EdTech in schools across the country.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, August 30, 2024 in the capital Lilongwe after CSEC and Ministry’s joint stakeholder engagement meeting EdTechDirector of Open Distance and e-Learning, Dr. Joshua Valeta said start-up innovators in specialized digital content are crucial for experiment and research on challenges, leading to sustainable solutions.
Dr Valeta observed that innovators have capacity in helping accelerate access to technology among learners.
“That is why we want them to understand the policy direction the ministry has. We want to support them to access human and financial resources.
“We already experimented with the use of EdTech for the past eight years in foundational education, standards 1 to 4. Evidence has shown that we can accelerate learning by four months in literacy and three months in numeracy using EdTech”, he said.
Dr. Valeta adds, “After Covid, foundational kids who had learned using a tablet had retained much more knowledge than those that had not learned using a tablet.
“All this shows that there is potential for us to use EdTech not only to accelerate attaining of learning outcomes and reducing learning poverty but also to achieve resilience”.
Echoing the same, CSEC Board Member, Harold Kuombola said, “Malawi can also leverage on the growing interest of rural communities in EdTech to get everyone else on board to act.
“Imagine 87 percent of learners not demonstrating adequate grasp of subject level or grade level content. We need to bring together the passion everyone has in EdTech to enhance those outcomes”.
The ministry, CSEC and stakeholders are series of engagements on EdTech, having already reached a consensus which will result into improved education quality and reduction of learning poverty, which is at 87 percent in Malawi.