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17<br />

countries, such as Burkina Faso, Comoros, Guinea,<br />

Madagascar <strong>and</strong> Niger, ICT is not a relevant curricular<br />

objective <strong>and</strong> courses related to basic computer skills<br />

or computing may not even be available in primary or<br />

secondary education.<br />

Using ICT in schools requires readily <strong>and</strong> regularly<br />

available electricity. Secondary schools, which are<br />

more likely to be in urban areas, are better connected.<br />

But in many sub-Saharan African countries, the lack of<br />

mains electricity hampers the use of ICT, despite the<br />

increasing availability of solar panels <strong>and</strong> other solutions.<br />

In the Central African Republic, practically no primary<br />

or secondary school was connected to an electrical grid<br />

(Figure 17.2). Even if schools are connected to a power<br />

source, power surges <strong>and</strong> brownouts are common, further<br />

impeding the reliable usage of ICT (Mudenda et al., 2014;<br />

Practical Action, 2013).<br />

Electricity is a poor predictor of access to the internet<br />

in many countries. Despite full electrification, internet<br />

access was 56% in Trinidad <strong>and</strong> Tobago, 30% in<br />

Palestine, 27% in Azerbaijan <strong>and</strong> 6% in Kyrgyzstan<br />

(Figure 17.3). Internet connectivity depends on the<br />

national telecommunications infrastructure, geography<br />

<strong>and</strong> schools’ ability<br />

Internet connectivity<br />

to pay. In Mongolia,<br />

91% of primary<br />

depends on the national<br />

<strong>and</strong> secondary<br />

telecommunications schools had internet<br />

infrastructure, geography<br />

connection in 2012.<br />

When some schools<br />

<strong>and</strong> schools’ ability to pay<br />

began disconnecting<br />

due to high costs, the<br />

Ministry of Education,<br />

Culture <strong>and</strong> Science provided central funds to ensure<br />

connectivity (ADB, 2012).<br />

Measuring internet connectivity requires information<br />

on the type <strong>and</strong> speed of connection as well as<br />

distinguishing between its use for administrative <strong>and</strong><br />

pedagogical purposes. The Broadb<strong>and</strong> Commission’s<br />

target of Broadb<strong>and</strong> for All by 2020 commits the<br />

international community to monitor school connectivity<br />

(Broadb<strong>and</strong> Commission, 2013). Private sector internet<br />

service providers should contribute relevant data..<br />

To ensure that computer- <strong>and</strong> internet-assisted<br />

instruction meets all pupils’ needs, enough computers<br />

must be available. Pupil/computer ratios around 2:1 or<br />

FIGURE 17.2:<br />

Most primary schools do not have electricity in some of the poorest countries<br />

Proportion of primary <strong>and</strong> secondary schools with electricity, 2009–2014<br />

100<br />

80<br />

Schools with electricity (%)<br />

60<br />

40<br />

20<br />

0<br />

C. A. R.<br />

Madagascar<br />

Sierra Leone<br />

Burundi<br />

Niger<br />

Nepal<br />

Myanmar<br />

Mali<br />

D. R. Congo<br />

Togo<br />

Guinea<br />

Comoros<br />

U. R. Tanzania<br />

Malawi<br />

Lao PDR<br />

Senegal<br />

Benin<br />

Nicaragua<br />

Zambia<br />

Gambia<br />

Côte d’Ivoire<br />

Ghana<br />

Eritrea<br />

India<br />

Venezuela, B. R.<br />

Bangladesh<br />

Namibia<br />

Bhutan<br />

Cabo Verde<br />

Botswana<br />

Ecuador<br />

Indonesia<br />

Philippines<br />

Belize<br />

Morocco<br />

S. Tome/Principe<br />

Costa Rica<br />

Suriname<br />

Brazil<br />

Paraguay<br />

Argentina<br />

Swazil<strong>and</strong><br />

El Salvador<br />

South Africa<br />

Uruguay<br />

Algeria<br />

Thail<strong>and</strong><br />

Jordan<br />

Iran, Isl. Rep.<br />

Seychelles<br />

Mauritius<br />

Maldives<br />

Singapore<br />

Rep. of Korea<br />

Malaysia<br />

Hong Kong, China<br />

Qatar<br />

Palestine<br />

Source: UIS database.<br />

312<br />

CHAPTER 17 | TARGET 4.A – EDUCATION FACILITIES AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

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