L-R: Consolatrice Byiringiro, Future Coders Program Coordinator at klab, Gilbert Munyemana, Deputy Director General National Child Development Agency, Ines Nyinawumntu(host), Joseph Mugabo, Director of Studies Lycee de Kigali and Delphine Uwineza, Product Manager O Genius Priority Ltd
EdTech Monday partners have said that it is not efficient to prepare a child for tomorrow’s digital world using old technology.
EdTech Monday Rwanda is a program of Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT in partnership with Rwanda ICT cluster which aims at leveraging technology to advance education and learning in Rwanda.
The program is broadcast live on KTRadio and streamed live on Kigali Today YouTube Channel once every month, mostly last Monday from 6 PM to 7 PM.
Delphine Uwineza, Product Manager O Genius Priority Ltd
The latest program was aired on April 25.
“At an early age, a child is supposed to know how a smartphone, a television works and many more. In all this, parents should be at the centre stage in choosing appropriate content for the child,” Gilbert Munyemana, Deputy Director-General of the National Child Development Agency said.
“Today’s students are researchers, that’s basically how they study using technology, they cannot learn with it. Education today is different from that we saw decades ago, it is driven by technology. Every class has a projector simply for a teacher to complete the lessons on time,” Joseph Mugabo, Director of Studies at Lycee de Kigali said.
“The era of writing on blackboards is phasing out, and one of the reasons is technology. So, preparing a child on how to use a computer is important.”
Current statistics show that nearly all Rwandan schools are within 30km of the fiber network and covered by mobile broadband and 2,401 schools have been connected but 1,796 schools (43%) remain without internet.
Consolatrice Byiringiro, Future Coders Program Coordinator at klab
As of October 2021, the Mobile Penetration Rate (number of active SIM cards per total projected population) was at 85.3%, while internet consumption has moved from 10,000 mbps in 2006 to over 111.000 mbps in 2021.
“Children love technology and should be helped to know it whether at school or home. We have over 9000 students who use our technology – O Genius Panda in revision and it is helpful,” Delphine Uwineza, Product Manager at O Genius Panda company said.
O’Genius Panda is a local tech company that provides access to quality education using technology.
“Children should use technology for studies and research not fun. On different tech platforms, like ours they meet fellow students to discuss while teachers help them pursue their lessons,” Uwineza further said.
Joseph Mugabo, Director of Studies Lycee de Kigali
The EdTech Monday partners agreed that in Rwanda, children should be taught about smart learning because the country is slowly but steadily shifting to technology in education.
“As young as 12 years old, a child should be trained on loving technology. They should be technology thirsty, but of course, the thirst that drives them on learning their studies using technology,” Consolatrice Byiringiro, Future Coders Program Coordinator at kLab Rwanda said.
