Camara develops online education platform for 250 schools in Tanzania

30 Mar 2015

Camara Education, an international charity that uses technology to deliver 21st-century skills, has developed an online interactive learning platform known as iKnowledge for teachers in 250 schools across Tanzania.

For some time now the charity has been refurbishing desktop PCs and laptops that would otherwise be treated as defunct, and turning them into usable computers for those in Africa and Haiti who have no access to technology.

Now however, with financial backing from the UK Space Agency’s International Partnership Space Programme (IPSP), Tanzanian students will be able to access the web and Camara’s online educational platform with the help of Avanti’s satellite technology and its service provider, Infinity Africa Network.

Camara will also provide sought-after training to teachers in support of their integration of ICT into teaching and learning practices and will start off as a year-long project with hopes to continue future projects thereafter.

John Fitzsimons, CEO of Camara said of the development, “This is a hugely exciting opportunity for Camara to work with formidable organisations such as Avanti Communications and the UK Space Agency on this special project.

“We are delighted to bring our significant experience working in ICT in Education in Tanzania to bear on the design and delivery of this project. On a personal note, I am delighted that 250 schools in the country in which I lived for two years, will benefit from the integration of ICT like so many western schools have.”

Tanzanian schoolchildren image via Shutterstock

Colm Gorey was a senior journalist with Silicon Republic

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