On Thursday, September 5, Mastercard Foundation and MEST of Africa hosted an EdTech Stakeholder Event in Accra, Ghana. The meeting brought together leading educators, innovators and industry experts to discuss the transformative power of technology in education to draw insights and recommendations from experts that will provide a strategic framework for integrating technology into the national education system.
Event overview
The event started with a welcome from Olufemi Adewumi, Program Manager, MEST Africa.
In his opening speech he stated:At MEST Africa, we believe that collaboration is key to driving impactful change in the education sector. This forum has provided an invaluable opportunity for various stakeholders to come together and co-create a roadmap that will not only accelerate the adoption of edtech in Ghana, but also foster an ecosystem that will deliver innovative solutions that will bridge the education gapβ .
Randolph Ampofoh, Africa Precedes for EdTech Hubgave an overview of what the audience expected throughout the day at the forum and what we hoped to achieve at the end.
Suraj ShahHead of Strategic Partnerships, Policy and Thought Leadership, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning at Mastercard Foundation he also gave his opening remarks at the event and described how the Mastercard Foundation has helped partner and build with ecosystem players, especially MEST Africa, to help advance EdTech in Ghana.
He observed: βEducation systems must evolve to be more resilient and technologically capable of withstanding future shocks similar to the COVID-19 pandemic. An adaptive and inclusive EdTech strategy is fundamental. Developing these strategies requires that we include stakeholder voices in the creation of roadmaps and strategies.
Through Forums like this, we believe we can shape policies that resonate with the needs of the education ecosystem“.
Nana Gyamfi Adwabour, Executive Director for National Center for Distance Education and Open Education (CENLOS) also gave his opening remarks discussing ongoing efforts to develop policies to integrate EdTech.
He also announced that the Ministry of Education is working to create a television channel that will focus exclusively on education later this year.
Mr. Adwabour followed by Kingsley BoachieSenior Research Assistant at the Ministry of Education, who held an interactive session called Aligning EdTech interventions with National Goals where he discussed EdTech initiatives and policies implemented to promote EdTech.
Rounding off the speakers was Ama BlanksonSenior Education Specialist at World Bank who spoke about the World Bank’s Education and Technology Readiness Index currently being completed in Ghana. The Index is expected to launch in November this year.
The highlight of the forum included roundtable discussions, breakout sessions and an interactive workshop that provided a platform for stakeholders to share their experiences and contribute ideas for the future of EdTech in Ghana
βThe forum discussions were incredibly insightful and empowering. The networking opportunities allowed us to connect with fellow innovators and decision makers, sparking ideas that will help us scale our solutions and make a tangible difference in the educational landscape. It is encouraging to see a united effort to align our innovations with the educational goal of the country,” he said Aniele PerbyCEO, Perbi Cubs.
Looking ahead
The Mastercard Foundation remains committed to supporting the growth of Ghana’s EdTech sector and will continue to work closely with stakeholders to ensure that technology enhances learning outcomes for all students.
The event ended with a networking session that facilitated connections between attendees and encouraged discussions about potential collaborations.
For more information on the EdTech Stakeholder Forum and upcoming initiatives, visit MEST Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship β MEST (meltwater.org)
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