E learning in Africa was a term coined when many areas and schools were effected by cholera, mainy that had effected Southern Zambia.
It seems the arguement is that while many children are able to go to school and sit their exams, the others who are affected by the cholera, have to stay at home. Obviously there are cries for a change in the system which allows those unable to get into school to not miss out in their education. "It is therefore high time that the Ministry of Education prepared for disasters such as floods and diseases that have been affecting Zambia since the arrival of the rainy season. It is important that the Zambian community is also prepared to step up to an eLearning environment..." http://www.elearning-africa.com/newsportal/english/news164.php
People are asking why in these times, can't the government provide various mediums, such as radios and tvs, so students are not affected by consequence. E Learning Zambia Chairperson Prof Thomson Sinkala says that it would benefit pupols because they "would not have to miss their lessons as they would access their teachers’ lessons through either an Internet cafe or from home or any convenient place arranged for that matter".
He added that the use of eLearning would also help to boost awareness of cholera. "Children together with parents would learn about cholera and how to prevent it."
The only possible alternative at present is to set homework while students are away, but this is nowhere near as beneficial as elearning.
There is a radio programme that already exsits in Zambia for students of lower grades, but this has been said to be in need of development. It is called Taonga Market and is broadcast every day for about two hours.
So it seems the intent is there, and there is a blantant need for such development, so what else is being done?
John Zulu, who is in grade 12 at the Kamwala secondary school, said it was necessary for educational material to go electronic as, most of the time, school children listen to music, from ipods, CDs and mobile phones, and could download educational material to improve themselves in one area or another.
"Subjects such as English, science, history and geography could be put in electronic form, especially questions and answer sessions to help students revise their work and to target their most-used electronic gadgets," said Zulu.
However, almost every home owns a radio, including rural areas, so it seems that radio could still be the best way to educate students and pupils in this long distance manner.
In my view, from the article that Brenda Zulu has written, the only things that is preventing it from becoming a reality is government interest and/or funding. Both things that China has at its disposal.
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I'd think that there are probably some long hard arguments within the political sphere about this n Zambi, as there are issues around prioritisation of funding, one would think, between what seems to be most urgent and waht seems most important. And it's intersting to note that it's a technology from a former age that offers most promise....
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