Kigali, Rwanda — The 17th edition of eLearning Africa, held from May 29 to 31, 2024, focused on advancing digital education across the continent. This year’s theme centered on leveraging education as a catalyst for innovation and investment, aligning with the African Union's Agenda 2063 goals.

According to Africa News Agency, CEO and founder of eLearning Africa, the conference underscored Africa's commitment to integrating digital technologies in education and skills development. By enhancing cross-sector collaborations, the initiative aims to prepare young Africans for leadership roles in the digital era. Rwandan Minister for ICT and TVET, Claudette Irere, highlighted the increasing adoption of blended learning models to improve the accessibility and resilience of education systems, preparing learners for ongoing technological advancements.

The event also addressed the significant potential of digital education to revitalize African education systems. Bekere Amassoma, Africa Programs Manager at Oracle Academy, noted that democratizing digital educational resources is crucial. Oracle Academy has contributed by providing free online resources on database management, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, which are vital for supporting distance education in Africa.

Challenges remain, particularly in remote areas where access to digital infrastructure is limited. Jacqueline Umurerwa, a teacher and school manager in Rwanda, pointed out that connection and accessibility issues are significant barriers. To address these, experts recommend technologies like mirror servers to enhance virtual teaching capabilities in isolated regions. Pierre-Francois Descheerder from the French University of Artois explained how mirror server technology allows students to access online resources despite unstable internet connections.

The conference concluded with a call for enhanced regional and international cooperation to share resources and technological innovations. The future of education in Africa, as envisioned by the participants, includes integrating emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and blockchain to transform educational access and quality fundamentally.