ICT strategies for continuing professional development in Ethiopia and Uganda

• In Event: Digital Promises and Analogue Realities: Educational Technologies in Resource-Limited Settings

Proposal

As part of this panel's exploration of digital education technologies in resource-limited settings, this presentation will examine how the COVID-19 pandemic prompted an urgent shift towards ICT-based solutions in countries like Ethiopia and Uganda, where access to digital infrastructure remains highly constrained. In both countries, Geneva Global faced the challenge of maintaining educational continuity for Speed School facilitators (teachers) and inspectors during nearly two years of school closures.
In Uganda, despite the government’s efforts to use radio instruction, many rural students were unable to access even this low-tech solution. Faced with these barriers, Geneva Global quickly implemented two key digital strategies to ensure facilitators remained engaged and ready to resume classes once schools reopened. The first strategy focused on inspectors and center coordinating tutors (CCTs), consolidating their understanding of Speed School’s pedagogic concepts and holistic training methods. This was particularly crucial as the program had just expanded to five new districts, requiring the training of a new cohort of inspectors and CCTs. Through weekly webinars conducted over unstable internet connections, the training covered core pedagogical methods and effective supervision practices. Once schools reopened, these webinars evolved into virtual communities of practice, meeting bi-weekly and eventually monthly to discuss progress, challenges, and improvements.
Simultaneously, Geneva Global used SMS-based strategies to maintain the knowledge, techniques, and motivation of Speed School facilitators. Facilitators received tips, resources, learning tasks, and encouragement via SMS, helping them retain key teaching practices and prepare for the return to the classroom. This strategy was also implemented in Ethiopia, where similar challenges in ICT access exist. Recently, both country teams have adopted mobile data gathering platforms to assess facilitators’ use of Speed School methods, enabling Geneva Global and government partners to address gaps and celebrate successes with greater precision.
This case highlights how low-tech digital solutions, such as SMS and mobile data platforms, can support continuous professional development and learning even in resource-constrained environments, a theme central to the panel's discussion on scalable and sustainable EdTech interventions.

Author

• Ellen Carney, Geneva Global