The Minister for Education, Eugene Mutimura, has encouraged students and the public in general to embrace eLearning opportunities to evolve better in the digital era, which he said is increasingly transforming the world. He was speaking at the eLearning Africa Conference in Kigali which started yesterday, bringing together different stakeholders in the education sector from different countries. It brought together high level policy makers, decision makers, business and government officials from across the continent to look at how technology can break barriers, enabling Africans to share knowledge, learn and prepare for the future together. In total, over 900 delegates from Africa and beyond are taking part. Mutimura said that with improving connectivity, and growing use of digital technologies in Rwanda, there are many opportunities for people to get training in the Learning and Development domain. “Online learning most especially appeals to strike a balance between family, work and education; this can be their best option for it offers a flexible way to follow lessons from anywhere and anytime. What matters is for them to organise themselves effectively and choose the right programme,” he said. He pledged the government’s support to ensure that existing challenges, mainly internet connectivity and its cost, are tackled. On the other hand, the conference organiser and the founder of eLearning Africa, Rebecca Stromeyer, said that Africa is full of opportunity and promise. However, in order to seize the opportunity, Africans must come together and ensure that the whole continent is fit for the future. “We hope that this conference will offer the means of sharing knowledge and experience, breaking down barriers to communication, giving all Africans a chance to learn and acquire the skills they need to succeed,” she said. Besides the conference, an exhibition was organised as part of the meeting and it has attracted leading international manufacturers of eLearning aids, as well as suppliers and service providers who are using the platform to present their latest products and services. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
