iMlango

The iMlango project supported 99,190 girls and was implemented in by Avanti Communications in Kenya.

The project supported communities that had high levels of poverty and schools that had poor attendance rates and learning outcomes for girls. School-based challenges included poor quality teaching and learning environments, whilst communities were also found to face financial barriers such as unemployment and poverty and an inability to afford tuition fees. Other factors identified to be key barriers to girls’ education were a lack of perceived value of education and aspirations, entrenched social attitudes surrounding girls’ schooling and dropout rates as a result of teenage pregnancies and early marriage.

The iMlango project was a technology-driven project, aimed improving attendance and improving the quality of teaching through ICT at the primary and secondary school level. This was done through the provision of computer labs, high-speed satellite connectivity and digital learning content in literacy and numeracy. The project also ran girls’ skills that aimed at building life skills and increasing girls’ self-esteem.

Main activities

• Providing digital learning content in literacy and numeracy and an online platform aligned with the Kenyan national curriculum.
• Offering continuous professional development and support for teachers in integrating ICT into lessons.
• Facilitating the increased monitoring of attendance rates, through the use of electronic smart cards to establish reliable attendance records and target those most at risk of dropping out.
• Establishing Girls’ Clubs to develop girls’ life skills, build their self-esteem, and provide learners with the opportunity to discuss and understand particular girl-related issues.
• Linking schools with local safeguarding referral systems in order to facilitate child protection across schools.

The project in numbers

Lessons learned

Dependence on unreliable connectivity can be reduced by blending online and offline content. There were often challenges with connectivity in remote areas. A blended approach allowed for accessibility of the learning content (via the provision of offline materials) whilst reaping the gains of the personalised nature of the connected, online learning content.

In low-resource schools, it is important to identify barriers to implementing EdTech interventions. Barriers can include a lack of equipment, small computer labs in relation to class size, challenges with electricity supply and/or internet connectivity, and technical issues with devices.

It is important to think about sustainability from the outset. This requires considering whether the cost per child of the components required for online learning in rural settings (e.g., the provision and maintenance of education licences, connectivity, technology and the associated human resources) can be afforded, sustained and scaled by the schools.

It is essential to keep investing in professional development for teachers. Increased teacher training contributed to learner-centred teaching and the integration of technology into the classroom. Indeed, teachers who were initially ‘technophobic’ became adept at using the technology and this was identified as a key factor in improvements to teaching quality.

Avanti Communications: http://www.avantiplc.com/

iMlango website: https://www.imlango.com/