TechCabal's EdTech and Future of Work townhall holds November 29

Education plays a pivotal role in national development. And with everything else, integrating technology in the learning process can increase access to and improve the quality of education.

On November 29, TechCabal will bring together educational technology (EdTech) entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers at its townhall, themed: EdTech & Future of Work. The event will take place at the Zone Tech Park, 9 AM prompt. During the event, attendees will discuss the impact of technology on education today and the ways it is changing the way Africans work.

Across the continent, children are not ready for future jobs due to the outdated curriculum used in many schools. Although there has been significant progress with enrolment, there has not been a corresponding increase in learning. Experts have described this as a learning crisis.

Thus, as African children move through the school system and join the workforce, they lack the skills they need to get jobs or in other cases start a business. The emergence of exponential technologies including artificial intelligence and robotics complicates the problem. These technologies require a new set of skills that the school system in many parts of Africa is not equipped to deliver.

What to Expect at the EdTech & Future of Work townhall

This Edtech focused Townhall is the fifth in a series of sector-focused events organized by TechCabal. It will examine the education technology sector across Africa and the way it is preparing Africa’s youth for success in a technologically driven world.

The EdTech and Future of Work townhall will feature fireside chats, panel sessions, interactive workshops and product demos aimed at providing deep insights about the sector, the regulatory and infrastructural challenges that exist and what all stakeholders need to do to grow the industry.

The speakers, alongside other tech leaders, will highlight the key imperatives for using technology to transform how African youths learn and acquire skills.

Confirmed speakers for the event include:

• Gossy Ukanwoke, Founder, Beni American University;
• Femi Taiwo, Executive Director, LEAP Africa;
• Tunji Adegbesan, CEO/Founder, GidiMobile;
• Kola Aina, Founding Partner, Ventures Platform and Chairman, Edu Platforms.

Our education sector requires urgent attention and that is putting it mildly. Fortunately, we’ve seen a rise in innovators and entrepreneurs using technology to improve learning outcomes as well as increasing access to education and skills training. This event will see us discussing how these solutions scale quickly to have a huge impact across the continent. Our goal with this townhall is to convene all stakeholders to address the issues limiting the growth of the [EdTech] sector.

Edtech startups and organizations including Decagon and STEM Cafe are filling the gap left by an outdated curriculum to prepare young people for the jobs of the future. Others including ULessons and PrepClass are helping to improve learning outcomes.

On the other end of the spectrum, a number of innovators are working to solve the challenges of basic access to education and skills training including funding. Tanzanian startup, Ubongo Kids is helping more young Africans get access to basic skills via edutaining content they can consume via radio and feature phones. There’s also Schoolable, an edtech startup that is helping school owners and parents get access to credit.

You can get your tickets to the event here.