Abhatoo - Centre Nationale de Documentation

The COVID-19 pandemic caused immense disruptions in daily activities across all spheres of our lives. Education was one of such key daily activities that was impacted but needed to be sustained over the period. Consequently, numerous governments through their National Education Ministries instituted Emergency Remote Education (ERE), a rapid response digital education meant to ensure continuity in education. As the mode is digital ERE, this demanded a change in both teaching and learning practices. On the one hand, teachers had to learn and create teaching material for online delivery, and on the other hand, students had to learn to access and learn via digital content.
In a number of African countries, in executing this emergency education, their governments faced the challenges of an existing digital divide where access to connectivity, devices and digital skills inhibited efficient and inclusive teaching and learning.
This research project therefore proposed to promote digital resiliency through a three-pronged approach. Firstly, to assess the digital divide in emergency remote education in Africa using two case studies – Benguerir in Morocco and Nairobi in Kenya. Building on the UN-Habitat digital divide assessment tool, the symptoms (gaps) and causes (roots) of the digital divide were assessed in each of the cities focusing on educational institutions and students from low-income neighbourhoods. Secondly, to explore inspiring practices in digital inclusion across the continent using case studies, and lastly, to develop a policy framework of recommendations.
The assessment has shown the presence of a digital divide in education in both Benguerir and Nairobi relating to material access and capabilities for both teachers and students but in varying proportions based on specific local contexts. Further, it was observed that digital divide concerns were not fully considered in emergency remote education during the pandemic. Limited support through the local education unit was given through the training of teachers to record and share teaching material. Other initiatives of support students and teachers were at the liberty of the schools that could mobilize parents for support. At the level of households, there was an emergence of solidarity initiatives such as sharing of Internet connectivity, learning material and resources.