People living in Africa, especially in rural areas, continue to face challenges in accessing energy and internet connectivity. This situation is a major barrier to the development of e-learning across the continent. Despite the various solutions developed to address the issue, a lot still needs to be done.
In 2020, Covid-19 affected education in several African countries. For several months, schools were closed and e-learning was the only way out. Unfortunately, the alternative distance learning solutions set up by the states were not always effective. To help governments in this strategy, Franco-Togolese Victor Agbegnenou (pictured) has developed an e-learning solution, Retice Renal Smart 80/20. The latter is a combination of digital tools, including a platform for management and synchronized exchanges with tablets and educational software, and offline infrastructure. It allows teachers to interact with each student via a connected tablet equipped with digitized textbooks and to deliver their lessons in person or remotely. Connectivity is provided by "PWCS" technology, a point-to-multipoint wireless communication system.
Lebon Ngounou, Managing Director of Retice Africa Sarl, believes that with this technology, students and teachers can stay at home and still attend class. The solution is adapted to rural areas and embeds energy storage units rechargeable with a solar lamp. Retice Renal Smart 80/20 received the 2018 ITBP Sorbonne Award and was recognized by Unesco and the International Organization of the Francophonie as a digital solution for education. It is also listed as one of the Top 40 digital technologies for education certified by the African Union in 2019.
KA Technologies, the company created by Victor Agbegnenou to deploy the solution, has been working to equip nearly 150,000 students in Togo since 2020. The solution is already deployed in Senegal in two municipalities and Nigeria in the state of Kano. The company has already obtained the formal agreement of the Ministry of Basic Education and the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of Cameroon. Talks are ongoing for an upcoming launch in the country.
Ruben Tchounyabe
