Lessons from Ugandan Solar-Powered Internet School (SPIS) Project

Somewhere in my imagination, I always saw a spacious and "customizable" unit that would serve as a classroom for students in remote areas. This “unit” would have connection to the internet and be powered by the sun. Classroom blocks are expensive to build, so why not?

It turns out something similar was already being done in Uganda. I met Mr. Alfred Kyaka in November 2016 in Seoul, where he was also attending the World Bank’s Global Symposium on ICT in Education. He later delivered a presentation on the Solar-powered Internet School (SPIS) Project in Uganda, a topic we further discussed.

The structure is a modified 12-meter shipping container equipped with ICT devices and WIFI, serving as a computer laboratory for surrounding schools. The project was a collaboration between the Ugandan Education Ministry, Samsung, and Korea Education Research Information Service (KERIS).

The SPIS had several advantages over existing models. For one, there is no need to construct a new classroom block since a container is being used. There seems to be an increasing trend to repurpose shipping containers, which can be found easily and sometimes even left for good. I read of a Nigerian entrepreneur utilizing containers for urban farming.

Secondly, teacher ICT-training capacity is enhanced. It is a sad and unfortunate reality that there are teachers who have never seen computers before but have to teach ICT with books. For such communities, the SPIS could be tremendously helpful. There are plans to connect communities in hopes of optimizing the use of the SPIS to serve more communities, a move which will increase the ICT-teaching capacity of even more teachers.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the use of solar panels brings ICT education resources to rural areas without electrical infrastructure. The SPIS is a self-sustaining mobile unit, making it very sustainable and fit for remote areas. Let’s also not forget that the solar panels have batteries connected to them -they store energy which can be used to power other buildings!

There were several challenges too. The main challenge was the lack of qualified personnel to manage and maintain the SPIS. As such, management of the facilities posed a difficulty for communities. This challenge was exacerbated by an insufficient prioritization of ICT in educational policies. What this means is that curricula were not designed to prioritize ICT capacity building of students. Clearly, that reflects the training provided to teachers. Another challenge was the fear of misuse by students, a challenge driven more by culture than by the technology.

What do I learn from this? Policy makers have an important role in identifying and implementing forward-looking policies that will support innovative solutions. In the case presented, the SPIS was under-utilized because syllabi didn’t place enough emphasis on ICT even though the tools were available. This applies to every field including education. This will encourage and inspire innovators to provide solutions.

Human capacity building should be included in the project deliverables. When the project is ready, there should be qualified people to roll it out. Locals should be trained to manage projects; even better, they should be involved in the project to create a sense of ownership and accountability. It is commendable that the SPIS has plans to operate as a training center to build the ICT capacity of teachers from surrounding communities.

We should encourage the creative freedom of students. Wherever we find ourselves, we shouldn’t stifle student creativity, we should groom it. Out of fears that students would misuse the SPIS, access was restricted and tightly regulated. I don’t have information on the kind of software installed on the computers, but I’m certain that the SPIS could train the next programmers using Scratch, animators using Synfig, graphic designers using GIMP, storytellers using Notepad, etc.

In conclusion, sustainable solutions in education should be pursued. But we should proceed with wisdom from previous projects. That way, we know that the future is a better one. The SPIS project was a good one. I would like to thank KERIS (Korea Education and Research Information Service) for the giving me the opportunity to attend the World Bank Symposium on ICT use in Education in Seoul in 2016.

Notes

http://www.samsung.com/africa_en/promotions/regions/ghana/blogs-news/uganda-spis/