The Role of Technology in Educating the African Youth
Technology is an important factor for accessing effective education. Many African countries are plagued by poor educational infrastructure, leaving millions of children without this basic and fundamental human right.
In this article, I will be outlining ways in which the power of technology can be influential in educating and empowering the African youth of today.
One of the most crucial benefits of education is the reduction of poverty. When a child has access to education, they are set on a path to entering career pathways that will provide sustainable income for them in the future, which will allow them to care for basic needs.
Education also improves one’s chances of having a healthier lifestyle, because we are made aware of salubrious behaviors which we need to practice in order to remain healthy individuals. Education allows children to expand their world and meet with other people from different walks of life. This helps them grow up to be open-minded and well-rounded adults. Education for girls especially, promotes equality and empowerment.
In today’s society, technology plays a huge role in imparting education to the youth. We live in a digital world where things are designed to be more easily accessible for the general population.
The first way by which technology can promote education among African youth is through e-learning. This of course involves learning in a virtual environment whereby physical presence is not required. While using e-learning platforms, young people are not limited by their inability to take transportation to learning institutions (e.g., if school buildings are far away from home), and they can learn attentively from any location.
With the current COVID-19 pandemic, the option of virtual learning is even more important due to lockdown mandates that do not allow students access to their school’s physical location. In bringing the school setting to virtual locations, such as Zoom, we ensure that students’ learning experiences are not limited by external factors that prevent physical presence in a given location.
Social media and online learning platforms promote accessible educational content that youth may not learn in their day-to-day curriculum in school. Technologies such as tablets and computers, are tools that augment the typical use of physical book copies for learning. Unlike a physical book, laptops for example, can access infinite amount of information from multiple sources around the globe, further contributing to one’s education path.
Learning the scientific basis of technological systems also broadens the horizons of African youth. For example, when young people are offered the opportunity to learn things like Artificial Intelligence (AI), coding, software development, and other Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) content, this knowledge will allow them to apply their skills in a wide range of settings, as well as be more competitive on the global scale.
The two main challenges to the implementation of technology for education in Africa are poor electricity and internet access. The costs of using these technologies may also be too high for most people to access. It is crucial for governments and policymakers to tackle these issues, so that the impact of technology on youth education can be truly materialized in Africa.
