Education Lead, Middle East and Africa Emerging Markets, Angela Nganga has called on governments and educators to rethink ways of bringing sustained education to learners through access to technology.
Nganga observes that Coronavirus pandemic left 1.6 billion students out of school and without access to connectivity and resources as it vastly separated students in the classroom in their home lives.
According to Nganga, “The global response we have seen within the spheres of education at all levels has demonstrated how technology can help transform how we teach and learn. This powerful shift to a learnercentred system will be amplified by technology and driven by education that is steeped in purpose and meaning”.
She further noted that the reality of it is that educators were and have also been placed into unfamiliar territory where more societal and technological factors to easing learners into the new normal needed to be explored – a first for many.”
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“As the pandemic spread throughout the continent and globe, governments, institutions and individuals began to band together, navigating the “unsettled zone” where issues and questions involve getting access to the right technology, communication management and equity providing support to students who lack independent skills, and providing support to parents of students. Nganga said
The Education Lead for Microsoft stated that moving to a hybrid learning model -one that combines the best of inschool and remote learning with digital engagement is more than a quick fix, adding that it is a way to enhance and accelerate learning by providing student centered approaches to meet diverse learners’ needs,”
She stated that the company has continued to invest in helping students at all level gain the skills to be successful in the future and is committed to ensuring that educators are equipped with the tools and curricular resources to teach digital skills and prepare students for indemand jobs across cloud, data, artificial intelligence, coding and even quantum computing.
“One of these investments include creating a new experience on Microsoft Education and Microsoft Learn for s tudents and educators, providing curated experiences including learning paths focused on technology for social impact, popular university courses, and foundational developer paths. In the same way, eligible educators and faculty members at universities, community colleges and secondary schools can access Microsoft readyto- teach curriculum and teaching materials aligned to industry-recognised Microsoft Fundamentals certifications.
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