ICDL has been operating in Africa since 1999, and recognises that the eLearning Africa Conference is an ideal venue for all stakeholders to come together, share knowledge and experiences, and develop policy for the promotion of ICT for Development, Education, and Training across the entire continent. Given the scope and breadth of ICDL’s involvement in the promotion of digital literacy globally, it is well placed to share the lessons learned in its involvement in a huge variety of projects – across all sectors – in the receptive environment of this eLearning Conference.
After the success of the eLearning Africa conferences held in Ethiopia (2006), Kenya (2007) and Ghana (2008), eLearning Africa moved to West Africa and became the first pan-African conference on technology-enhanced learning in a francophone country. The conference was successfully held in French and English and attracted 1350 eLearning users, newcomers, providers and experts from 83 countries, who gathered at the Le Méridien President Hotel in Dakar, Senegal from May 27th – 29th, 2009. It included plenary sessions with world-class experts, smaller presentation and special focus sessions, practical demonstrations and debates on specific topics, as well as various informal networking opportunities where practitioners shared their experiences, ideas, new information and perspectives.
Having attended and supported the conference since its inception ICDL Africa acted as a key sponsor of the event, which was officially opened by the Vice President of the Republic of Zambia, on behalf of the President His Excellency Mr Rupiah Banda. Hon George Kunda Sc also visited the exhibitions and he was accompanied by more than 7 key ministers including the Minister of Education Hon Dora Siliya and the Minister of Communications Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa. Ministers representing Broadcasting, Home Affairs, Commerce and other key sectors such as National Planning also attended.
A record 1778 registered delegates from 78 countries attended this year’s eLearning Africa Conference in Lusaka, Zambia and many more unregistered walk-in delegates attended the exhibitions. The full conference programmes featured:
- 60 sessions in 10 parallel conference stands
- 4 plenary sessions
- 17 demonstrations and best practice examples
- 10 Insaka sessions
- 20 pre-conference events
- 350 Speakers and Chairpersons from 51 countries
The ICDL Africa delegation comprised a team of 9 representatives from at least 5 countries i.e. Ireland, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia who manned the stand that was visited by more than 500 visitors each day for three days. The ICDL Africa’s presence at this conference provided stakeholders in this sector with the opportunity to discuss the merits of a not-for-profit, vendor-independent, end-user certification as a successful tool for the promotion of ICT in African education, capacity building and in development. It was made it possible for the thousands who came to learn about ICDL and ask questions about aspects of which they were not sure. The awareness raising was done extensively with case study books and flyers distributed alongside promotional pens that were given to clients and potential clients.
Most of the visitors to the ICDL Africa stand, registered themselves in the visitor’s book, and this database will form the basis for further individual follow-up for the ICDL Zambia team and indeed ICDL in CSA Trust.
The highlight of the conference was when the four members of the ICDL Africa team, Daniel Palmer, Faye Macheke, Geoff Fairall and Shalala Oliver Sepiso had a one-on-one meeting with the Patron ministers of the conference Minister of Education Hon. Dora Siliya and Minister of Communications Hon. Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa to discuss the need for a national roll-out of ICDL as a benchmark for ICT literacy in Zambia. The meeting ended with the ministers affirming the need for such a national programme provided it is not mandatory and restrictive in cost and methodology.
Other highlights of the conference including the visits to the stand by key government official such as the Director of Technical Education, Minister of Home Affairs, Heads of Schools in Zambia, CEO of companies and the general public.
ICDL Africa was covered by all key TV stations in Zambia including MUVI TV, ZNBC and TV2 in their main news and documentaries. The main documentaries that were produced highlighted ICDL.
Lastly, many sessions of the conference specifically agreed that ICDL was the way forward in developing Africa through continuous development of the skills of the people; this human capital development being a way of making the development of capital an investment that will last for a long time to come.
