Africa’s biggest e-learning event in Benin

BENIN

Africa’s most prestigious annual gathering of high-level policy makers, decision-makers and practitioners from education, business and government, eLearning Africa, will this year receive sponsorship from the CoZa Cares Foundation.

“The fact that over 300 African and international speakers will address some 60 sessions this year gives one an idea of the scale and importance of this continent-wide gathering. CoZa Cares is thrilled to associate its name with the future of e-learning in Africa,” said Fiona Wallace, CoZa Cares Manager.

The 2012 instalment of eLearning Africa is taking place from 23rd to 25th May in Cotonou, Republic of Benin. According to the organisers, the conference and exhibition will, amongst other themes, “explore key questions in ICT-enhanced education in Africa: How might eLearning be a vehicle for sustainable development in Africa? How can the public sector, private enterprises, education and society as a whole benefit from learning innovations which have the potential to drive education and training?”

“We know from the model we have employed for ICT interventions in South African education that sustainability is the key to success. Proper and intensive engagement with schools, the identification of teachers and principals who share the vision of a future IT-literate South Africa learner, as well as engaging incentives such as the ISPA-sponsored Super Teacher of the Year, are the way to make a tangible difference, one steady step at a time,” explained Ms Wallace.

Aside from Ms Wallace’s conference presentation on the “Sustainable ICT school”, CoZa Cares will also be represented at an exhibition stand where the Foundation’s lessons, experiences and achievements will be showcased.

In a further demonstration of its commitment to IT education in Africa, the CoZa Cares Foundation is also a Bronze Sponsor at the upcoming African Education Week taking place in July at the Sandton Convention Centre.

Since 2001, CoZa Cares has funded over 150 computer centres in under-resourced, largely rural schools in seven provinces with over 2 000 educators having received skills training. The Foundation supports an Open Educational Resource environment wherever possible, and has formed partnerships with other organisations wishing to make a difference in South African education, in particular, NetDay Association and Edunova.