As students, we have all experienced the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our access to quality education. Inadvertently, the pandemic led to a transition of teaching and learning from in-person to online. This had implications on existing socioeconomic inequalities. Students from rural areas and poor households in urban areas who did not have access to either computers or internet or both could not participate in eLearning. Even if they had access to the internet and computers, internet costs remained largely unaffordable. This impeded their access to education. Meanwhile, access to education is the right of the African child and youth.
To date, there have been no significant efforts by governments, development partners, internet service providers, and mobile telecommunications network operators to ensure increased or sustained access to education by reducing or eliminating internet costs in the backdrop of online learning. Yet, this is the moral and social responsibility of governments, development partners, internet service providers, mobile telecommunications network operators, and the rights of African children and youth.
This project seeks to strengthen the technical capacity of student leaders in Southern and Central Africa to organize and advocate for students’ digital and educational rights. Student leaders will be equipped with relevant skills to actively engage relevant government ministries, internet service providers and mobile telecommunications network operators on the rights to access education in the backdrop of online learning.
Namibia
Namibia
Namibia
Namibia
Namibia
Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland
Zambia
Zambia
Zambia
Zambia
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Congo Brazzaville
Congo Brazzaville
Congo Brazzaville
Congo Brazzaville
Congo Brazzaville
Botswana
Botswana
Botswana
Botswana
Botswana
Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho
Malawi
Malawi
Malawi