iMOVE at eLearning Africa: Inclusive, accessible and high-quality learning solutions

Between 11 May and 13 May 2022, more than 1,000 participants from more than 70 countries gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, to attend the 15th International Conference and Exhibition on ICT for Education, Training and Skills Development – the eLearning Africa. iMOVE visited Kigali with a delegation of German training providers ahead of the conference, took part in the proceedings and was represented with a booth at the German Pavilion at the exhibition area.

Potential of e-learning for the African continent

After two years of social distancing and home office, representatives of the global education community were eager to come to the Kigali Convention Centre in the capital of the East African Nation of Rwanda to attend the opening of eLearning Africa. 

It was already the second time in the conference's 16-year long history that Kigali served as a host for the event. The first edition took place in 2006 in Ethiopia, when digital learning solutions were still in their infancy. 

Rebecca Stromeyer, founder of eLearning Africa and owner of Berlin-based company ICWE understood the potential of e-learning for the African continent early on. The event has since taken place in Nairobi, Accra, Dakar, Lusaka, Dar es Salaam, Cotonou, Windhoek, Kampala, Cairo, Port Louis, Kigali and Abidjan – choosing a different African capital every year.

New purpose for education: an African agenda

The opening panel discussion titled "New Purpose for Education: An African Agenda" was chaired by Albert Nsengiyumava, Executive Secretary of the Association of the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA). In his opening remarks, he pointed out that this year's exhibition of eLearning Africa was the largest in the history of the event. 

More than 70 exhibitors from 19 countries (Austria, Australia, Botswana, Belgium, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, India, Kenya, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates. Uganda, United States of America, United Kingdom) were showcasing the latest solutions from the global Ed-Tech community. This fact underlines the growing importance of African education markets. 

At the same time, Mark West of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) pointed out that education in Africa should be inclusive, accessible and of high quality - a notion that resounded throughout the conferences many discussion forums, workshops and high-level panels.

Inter-African event for all fields of the education sector

In recent years, eLearning Africa has developed from its initial focus on e-learning solutions to become what many call the largest and most important inter-African event for all fields of the education sector. 

In recent years, the area of technical and vocational education has become a focus area of the congress. This is happening at the right time, since many African governments are busy reforming and re-structuring their technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector to become more relevant for local industry and more attractive for young people all over the continent.

Programme of the delegation of German training providers

iMOVE has been a partner of eLearning Africa since 2018 and has taken delegations of German training providers to Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, in 2019 and Kigali in 2022. 

The iMOVE delegation visited the Rwandan Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Innovation, the Rwanda Private Sector Federation (PSF), Volkswagen Mobility Solutions as well as training centres and other TVET institutions in the capital city. 

It is outstanding how this country has embraced digitalization and online solutions in all spheres of teaching and learning. These are ideal parameters for our innovative learning solutions.

Participant of the German delegation

"It is outstanding how this country has embraced digitalization and online solutions in all spheres of teaching and learning. These are ideal parameters for our innovative learning solutions", said one participant of the German delegation.

And indeed, Rwandan TVET institutions have been able to keep teaching and learning going throughout most of the pandemic due to a rapid production of local content for e-learning. At the same time, decision makers are open for new products and services from German providers, which aim to improve practice-oriented teaching and learning. 

German training sector at the eLearning Africa

The German training sector was particularly well represented at the exhibition. 

Eight companies and initiatives presenting their products and services "Made in Germany" formed the German Pavilion at eLearning Africa 2022. German training experts also engaged with the conference participants in two discussion forums hosted by iMOVE and Didacta association e. V.