How to reach rural, non-electrified classrooms
The Unlimited Potential Group in the Middle East & Africa has been hard at work for more than 6 months to introduce ICT for the first time to a rural school in the village of Ha-Tumo, 30 kilometers outside Lesotho’s capital city, Maseru.
Working with the Lesotho Ministry of Education & Training and technology partners, AstraLab, Learnthings Africa and The Mindset Network, we’ve helped to integrate an innovative Compujector (in other words, a PC + projector), with tailored education content optimized for Windows MultiPoint, to the secondary school of 45 students.
Rather than just providing basic ICT skills training and expecting many of the teachers (many of whom had never used a computer before, let alone a Compujector) to put the technology to work immediately, we’ve paid close attention to making the pilot sustainable by helping the teachers integrate the Compujector into the curriculum and improve the student’s learning and grades. After thorough training, we’ve seen the Compujector become a core part of lesson plans, with the teachers using the education content and applications for math, science, and even religion class.
The school does not have access to electricity either – as is the case for so many schools in Lesotho and elsewhere in Africa – so we’ve also tested a low-maintenance solar array to power the Compujector. So far, there’s been little need for the portable, gas-powered generator we installed for back-up.
We’ve written up a case study on this education pilot in Lesotho – we hope other Ministries of Education will see how this innovative solution could be replicated in rural, non-electrified classrooms in other school districts.
-- Kevin Connolly
Business Development Manager for Education Solutions
Microsoft Unlimited Potential Group - Middle East & Africa
