Session
Debate - Auditorium - 60 Min
Based on the success of the “sustainability pilot for School Connectivity”, where the focus was on a sustainable OPEX of less than TZS 35,000, the scale up envisaged through this School Connectivity Scale-Up (“SchoolConnect”) project aims at connecting more schools and establishing the path towards a nation-wide sustainable models for school connectivity in Tanzania. The project is designed to contribute to the worldwide effort for school connectivity, mapping of all schools and will answer the demands in resource constrained environments. Contribute in achieving the 5th Government connectivity target that aims to deliver connectivity to ALL secondary schools to benefit digital education. It is designed to be a multi-stakeholder project that will engage the Government of Tanzania (GoT), Ministry of Education, President's Office Regional Administration and Local Government, Mobile Network Operators (MNO), Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Universal Communication Service Access Fund (UCSAF), Academic Institutions, Public and Private Organization. Furthermore, the School Connectivity Scale-Up will be brought up as a successful path to the international community, involving a.o. Project GIGA from UNICEF & ITU, UNESCO Global Education Coalition, GSMA. Policy Questions Is it relevant to connect everyone? How can we address digital cooperation to connect everyone with meaningful connectivity? What are the quick yet affordable interventions that can introduce connectivity to schools in rural areas? Funding is still the big elephant in the room. How has the lack of funding affected last mile connectivity to people in rural areas and how have we been innovative around that??
We have selected online and onsite moderators to ensure that our session can cover all participants both onsite and online. We will engage both audiences and take questions as they come. Participants will engage in filling out polls on different questions that concern connectivity. And share their experiences
Organizers.
1. Vodacom Tanzania Foundation
2. AFRICAN CHILD PROJECTS
Co- Organizers.
1. Basic Internet Foundation.
2. University of Dar es salaam
3. Emerging Youth Initiatives
Nguvu Komando - Vodacom PLC (Region D)
Sandra Oswald- Manager Vodacom Tanzania (Region D)
Prof Josef Noll, Basic Internet Foundation (Region C)
Dr Moses Ismail University of Dar es salaam (Region D)
Judith Kiwale , UNICEF TANZANIA (Region D)
Sudhir Dixit, IEEE (Region E)
Wisdom Donkor, Africa Open Data and Internet Research Foundation (AODIRF), Ghana (Africa Region)
Barrack Otieno African Higher Education and Research institute - AHERI (Region D)
Sandra Oswald
Catherine R Kimambo
Sean Pious
Targets: Let's imagine that every school is connected in all parts of the world, and therefore very student has the same alienable rights to information and opportunities such as any other student regardless of their geographical location. But the digital divide makes this very untrue to our essence, and bridging this divide through school connectivity project brings us closer to achieving QUALITY EDUCATION. If we put SDGs at the core of human rights, the Former UN Secretary-general Ban Ki Moon's words ring true, "ICTs can be an engine for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).