EdTech Mondays Ethiopia Radio Show to Discuss Solutions for Equity, Inclusion

The upcoming episode of EdTech Mondays Radio Show, produced by the Mastercard Foundation and Shega Media & Technology, is poised to explore the crucial role of technology in promoting equity and inclusion in education.

Serving as a platform for thought-provoking discussions and innovative ideas, EdTech Mondays will host a panel of diverse experts in this episode. The panelists include Seid Anbesu, a visually impaired social worker in a government bureau; Beky Abadula, CEO at Deborah Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Ethiopian youth with Intellectual disabilities; Hannan Endale, inclusive learning program manager at Light of the World, an NGO that empowers people with disabilities and protects eye health; and Rahel Kebede, learning support head at MALD Kindergarten.

Set to be aired at 8.10 p.m. EAT on Monday, July 31, 2023, via Fana FM 98.1 and ten other affiliated FM radio stations across the country, the show will explore the importance of equity and inclusion in education, learning experiences from technology-driven initiatives, and exploring innovative solutions to promote gender equity and social inclusion.

Inclusive education is widely acknowledged as a human right, with the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda specifically calling for quality, inclusive, and equitable education for all. While access to education has improved, significant barriers persist for disadvantaged groups, including girls, children from low-income backgrounds, rural residents, those with disabilities, and marginalized communities.

According to data from the Ministry of Education in Ethiopia, 4.3 million children were out of pre-primary schools in 2020, accounting for 55% of the official school-age children. The Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) falls far behind the targets set in both the SDGs and the National Plan. Furthermore, pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools in the country are not yet inclusive for children with disabilities, leaving a large percentage of them without access to education.

Recognizing the potential of technology in supporting inclusive education, the upcoming EdTech Mondays episode will explore the untapped possibilities for leveraging technology to bridge the education gap and promote equity and inclusion for marginalized groups. A disability-inclusive and gender-responsive approach to technology-enabled education could address issues of access to connectivity and digital learning, foster innovation, and enable mobility in learning to achieve educational equity and inclusion.

In addition, vox pop questions will be incorporated into the episode, featuring recordings of insightful takes from stakeholders, including those working with disadvantaged groups like refugees, to gain insights into their efforts to provide access to remote learning.

The Mastercard Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the world, and Shega launched EdTech Mondays in Ethiopia in October 2022.

An integrated, Africa-wide conversation about EdTech Monday airs monthly on CNBC Africa and the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works Facebook page. In alignment with the monthly Africa theme, Mastercard Foundation offices in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, and Nigeria, in partnership with local EdTech support organizations, disseminate the discussions with local context, experts, nuances, and case studies.