SURVEY OF ICT AND EDUCATION IN AFRICA - infoDev

Teacher Education for Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA) | www.tessaprogramme.orgTESSA is a partnership led by the Open University and the African Virtual University that includes a rangeof African universities, the Commonwealth of Learning, and the BBC Trust. It is a research and developmentprogramme that creates open multimedia resources for sub-Saharan African teachers and teachereducators.To date TESSA has introduced a BBC radio programme that debates the role of teachers inimproving quality primary education and produced a toolkit for educators and planners on designing openand distance learning for teacher education in sub-Saharan Africa.Teacher Training Initiative for Sub-Saharan Africa (TTISSA) | www.unesco.org/education/TTISSATTISSA is a 10-year programme co-ordinated by UNESCO aimed at improving national teacher policiesand strengthening teacher education in 46 sub-Saharan African countries. It is designed to support thedevelopment of national teacher education systems in African countries to produce more and better qualityteachers.Ubuntu Alliance for Education and Research Networking | www.ubuntunet.netUbuntuNet Alliance has been established to capitalise on the emergence of optical fibre and other terrestrialinfrastructure opportunities and thus become the Research and Education Network (REN) backbone ofAfrica. Tertiary education and research institutions throughout the rest of the world are connected to theInternet using fast, low-cost fibre.United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) | www.uneca.orgThe Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) was established by the United Nations to promote theeconomic and social development of its member states, foster intra-regional integration, and promoteinternational co-operation for Africa’s development. UNECA has historically led the African InformationSociety Initiative (AISI) since 1996 and has been instrumental in supporting the development of nationalinformation and communication infrastructure (NICI) policies and plans in a number of African countries.Since 1999 UNECA has also adopted the formation of an African Learning Network which incorporatedthe formation of SchoolNet Africa, Out of School Youth Network, and Varsity Network.United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) | www.unesco.orgUNESCO is the UN’s specialised agency for education. UNESCO has had a range of programmes andprojects to support the use of ICTs for development, specifically in education. UNESCO promoted theestablishment of telecentres and community learning centres in a number of African countries. Morerecently UNESCO has promoted the development of a regional programme on technical and vocationaleducational education and training through the use of ICTs in Africa, in partnership with theCommonwealth of Learning. UNESCO also leads the TTISSA programme.United States Agency for International Development (USAID) | www.usaid.orgUSAID was among the first donor agencies to support ICTs in education. Through its Leland Initiative in1996, USAID provided grant aid for pilot projects in a number of African countries. USAID later supportedthe establishment of the Dot Com Alliance for e-learning and e-governance programmes in Africasuch as the Network for Capacity Building and Knowledge Exchange project.The World Bank | www.worldbank.orgHeadquartered in Washington, DC, the World Bank is an international development institution thatprovides low-interest loans, interest-free credit, and grants to developing countries for education, health,infrastructure, communications, and many other purposes. The World Bank has historically supported avariety of programmes and projects for education through ICTs. These include the African VirtualUniversity, World Links for Development, and the Global Development Learning Network.World Computer Exchange | www.worldcomputerexchange.org40Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: A Summary Report Based on 53 Country Surveys