Digital Learning reaches more children in Sierra Leone
Reimagining the future through digital literacy
Freetown - For young student Kelvin Kanu, 13, from Fourah Bay College Secondary School in Freetown, the chiming of the school bell at 1pm not only signals the end of the school day, but also a call for his young and inquisitive mind to explore a new channel of learning.
“I love spending time on the internet, researching different topics and learning new things,” says Kelvin, as he explains the excitement of having free access to the newly opened Digital Learning Hub, housed at the Fourah College Information Centre.
“Before I was introduced to this Digital Learning Hub, I was envious of my older brother, who has a laptop and uses that computer for his work as a DJ. He never allows me to use it and my parents cannot afford to buy me my own computer,” says Kelvin, whose desires to explore new knowledge and skills via the internet, is now being fulfilled at this Digital Learning Hub.
The Digital Learning Hub at Fourah Bay College is one of four fully equipped centres which have been established by the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), with support from UNICEF, to help deliver digital learning resources to children from underserved communities.
This initiative is based on the knowledge that despite global strides in the use of E-Learning platforms, many children in Sierra Leone are still lagging behind in accessing digital learning. Only 32 per cent of the population has access to internet, and an even smaller 16 per cent of young people have access to a cellphone with internet connectivity.
Young people from poor households and those living in remote and hard-to-reach areas are the most disadvantaged in terms of internet access. The result is that they face an unprecedented challenge of getting equal access to information, education, the right skills, and gainful employment opportunities, especially during this time when the labour market requires new, transformative digital skills. This digital poverty requires an urgent need to increase young people’s access to digital connectivity and learning.
“Most of the children in my school do not have computers or cellphones so the Digital Learning Hub is the only place where we can learn how to use the computer, do our research work and also to try the different learning applications which we have been introduced to,” says young Kelvin as he appreciates the depth of information he has been getting from the Digital Learning Hub.
Across the four hubs in Freetown (at the Institute of Public Administration and Management and Fourah Bay College), Makeni and Kenema, more than 20,000 children and young people now have the opportunity of learning the basic skills of using a computer, while also using the connectivity to support internet browsing for communication and educational research.
At each of the centres, Coordinators are readily available to take the children through the different stages of learning to ensure that the full benefits of accessing computers are realized.
After only four months of regular attendance at the Digital Learning Hub, young Kelvin is already navigating the computer like a pro. While his initial interest was in exploring different information sources via Google, he has now found new interest in the various structured educational learning opportunities which are uploaded on each machine, including the UNICEF Learning Passport.
Applications such as the Learning Passport and E-UPSHIFT have been designed to allow children and young people to receive individualized and specialized training support on various life skills and social innovation topics.
The generous funding from the Finnish Committee for UNICEF has facilitated innovation and ensured continuous improvements on the digitised educational content on the Learning Passport, including the E-UPSHIFT course which has reached over 3,000 adolescents and young people, empowering them with life and social innovation skills. To date 17,122 users have accessed 103 courses on the UNICEF Learning Passport.
The multimedia content on the E-UPSHIFT modules, which includes interactive animated videos, photos and feedback panels, all help to make learning more interesting and enjoyable for Kelvin and the other children.
“The enthusiasm and eagerness that we are seeing in the young people who are accessing the Digital Learning Hubs, is evidence that the investment is giving young people the much-needed optimism for a future full of possibilities,” says Tanya Phiri, UNICEF’s Youth Innovation Specialist .
Kelvin is also happy that beyond the Learning Hub, some of the learning materials can be accessed offline and via his mobile phone. This means that even during the weekends and in the evening, the fun of learning can continue.
“The Learning Passport is my favourite application. I am able to review past examination papers, do some of the exercises online and the system also marks my work,” says Kelvin, who believes this learning opportunity is also improving his performance at school.
