Name of Organisation: GIZ
 
Website: https://www.giz.de/projektdaten/projects.action;jsessionid=D026A893F76B61C03B4895A0089E1B68?pn=201022763&request_locale=en_GB
 
Key objectives of the initiative/program?
As technical implementation agency of the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, GIZ is supporting the African Union Commission in the establishment of the Pan African University (PAU), specifically its Rectorate in Cameroon and its institute for water and energy sciences, incl. Climate Change (PAUWES) in Algeria. Our key objectives are the promotion of excellence in higher education in Africa and the promotion of youth entrepreneurship activities on the continent, both directed towards equipping African youth with the tools to face and solve modern challenges.
 
Elements of the Initiative/Program
Support to Innovators, Other (to be specified); Online entrepreneurship pitching event for PAU students: development of webinars, online coaching and selection of participants and digital communication to promote the event.
E-learning (instead of physical training) and e-coaching to support staff development of PAUWES and e-modules on leadership, entrepreneurship and Career development for PAUWES students.

 
Sectors of Education targeted by the Initiative/Program
Tertiary Education;
 
Other Organisations/Institiutions involved in implementing the program/initiative
African Union Commission; Pan African University and its different institutes; University of Tlemcen, Algeria; KfW Development Bank, African Development Bank;
 
Regions in Africa benefiting from Program/Initiative
Eastern Africa, Northern Africa, Central Africa
 
Countries in Africa benefiting from Program/Initiative
Algeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia
 
Challenges with the COVID-19 response
Fast-paced need for creative adaptation; general insecurity regarding COVID-19 developments in the upcoming months; slower pace of implementation; challenges in reaching partners due to connectivity problems
 
Lessons learned from the COVID-19 response
To be further determined at a later stage of evaluation;
Virtual formats for meetings and workshops which are likely to be continued this way in the future
 
Good practices with the COVID-19 response
To be determined at a later stage of evaluation
 
Innovations implemented during the COVID-19 response
Introduction of new digital formats to promote entrepreneurial mindsets of students and to support their career development.

Name of Organisation: UNICEF-ESARO (Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office)
 
Website: www.unicef.org
 
Key objectives of the initiative/program?
1- Respond, with the aim to ensure learning continuity, despite school closures due to COVID 19. This includes:
a. Technical assistance to countries on planning and delivering learning continuity
b. Building partnership and fundraising for regional online platform (Learning Passport, Regional Distance Learning Hub, etc.) and support to national platforms for learning delivery (Radio, TV, YouTube, Internet, etc.)
c. Encouraging resources sharing (cross border sharing of continuity of learning content)
d. Making available ready-to-deploy continuous learning resources, resources to monitor distance learning and school re-opening packages – with focus on the most marginalized learners
e. Etc.

2- Building back better, with the aim to support countries to improve plans and preparedness for reopening up better schools, better serve out of school children, support parents/caregivers be more involved in supporting children’s learning. This includes:
a. Development and sharing schools reopening guidelines (How to reopen schools? When, where and which schools to reopen? Etc.)
b. Building up Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Schools, good practices to date and forthcoming evidence.
c. Development of Catch-up and accelerated options, improving pedagogy and implementing hybrid approaches to learning, with focus on the most vulnerable: Promoting girls education, integrating children with disabilities and populations of concern (children on move, minorities, etc.)
d. Supporting and Promoting well-being and protection services: MHPSS, combatting violence against children, WASH, Health & Nutrition
a. Supporting the development of policies and financing to look at both the impact of COVID-19 on education as well as opportunities to strengthen systems

3- Develop and strengthen partnerships, the aim being to form a strong alliance to ensure that every child learn, and no one is left behind, despite the crisis.

 
Elements of the Initiative/Program
COVID-19 response planning, Provision of Open Online Course , Direct support to Ministries of Education, Direct support to grassroot organizations, Support to Innovators, Back to school campaigns;
 
Sectors of Education targeted by the Initiative/Program
Pre-School, Primary, Secondary;
 
Other Organisations/Institiutions involved in implementing the program/initiative
UNESCO
Global coalition on education for COVID response

WHO/IFRC
Safe School Operations Guidance

WFP
School meals both during closure and reopen (16M)

UNESCO/WFP/WB/WHO?
Guidance on re-opening Schools

UNHCR - Blueprint
Joint statement and Joint Action Plan

MNOs
zero ratings for online and SMS modalities

AUC, UNESCO, EDC, Microsoft (learning platforms, learning passport, etc.)

GPE, ECW, Thematic (Fundraising)

 
Regions in Africa benefiting from Program/Initiative
Eastern Africa, Southern Africa
 
Countries in Africa benefiting from Program/Initiative
Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Comoros, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
 
Challenges with the COVID-19 response
Challenges and Areas to focus include:
- Monitoring distance learning
- Activating teachers under lockdown
- Adequate focus on ECE
- Reaching the most vulnerable including CwD
- Lack of comprehensive distance learning model
- Lack of funding
-Issues around school re-opening

 
Lessons learned from the COVID-19 response
As lessons learned,
1/- Countries need ready-to-deploy distance learning materials, suggesting the importance of ICTs and other platforms (radio, TV, etc) use in education which is often left behind the priorities.
2/- There is a need to improve education systems for all learners: This includes:
a/- Improve preparedness for any crisis that leads to school closure
b/- Better support the learning of out of school children
c/- Better support caregivers to be involved in their children’s learning.
d/- Better financing and utilization of resources available

 
Good practices with the COVID-19 response
Kenya: Multiple approach
MoE has enhanced curriculum delivery through 4 different platforms (Radio, TV, Youtube and the Kenya Education cloud) including lifesaving messages for the vulnerable including refugees.

South Africa: Application and parental guide Digitalizing curriculum on the 2Enable App and online platform (national platform). Each video will be accompanied by a one-page guide for parents. Once done, will be uploaded onto the 2Enable app and online portal.

Tanzania: Testing low-tech platforms
Testing an online (parental education) and interactive low-tech system such as IOGT and SMS. Also, use of printed materials as an interim solution until radio programme is developed.


 
Innovations implemented during the COVID-19 response
Rwanda: Inclusive distance learning
For children with disabilities, UNICEF supported the Country on sign language interpretation of any video content developed and aired on television. Materials will also be developed and hosted on an e-learning platform hosted by Rwanda Education Board.

Name of Organisation: African Council for Distance Education (ACDE)
 
Website: www.acde-afri.org
 
Key objectives of the initiative/program?
- To broaden the understanding of practitioners on how to achieve effective on line teaching and learning in the higher
Educations institutions during the Covid-19 pandemic era.
- To encourage quality on line teaching and learning in the higher Educations institutions during the Covid-19 pandemic era.
- To share information on availability of quality learning materials among the ACDE Member institutions
- Emphasis need to train the lecturers and other facilitators of learning To encourage effective and quality on line teaching
and learning in the higher Educations institutions during the Covid-19 pandemic era.
 
Elements of the Initiative/Program
COVID-19 response planning;
 
Sectors of Education targeted by the Initiative/Program
Tertiary Education;
 
Other Organisations/Institiutions involved in implementing the program/initiative
The Commonwealth of Learning
International Council for Open and Distance Education
Distance Education Association of Southern Africa
African Virtual University
 
Regions in Africa benefiting from Program/Initiative

 
Countries in Africa benefiting from Program/Initiative
Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
 
Challenges with the COVID-19 response
1.Unpreparedness of the learning service providers some of which do not understand the eLearning method of disseminating
knowledge
2.No ready infrastructure in most conventional institutions to embark on eLearning
3.Lack of stable internet connectivity that would reach the students regardless of their location
4.Unavailability of learning materials that are of eLearning compliant model
5.New method of assessment would have to be introduced in line with eLearning principle and model
6.Need to quality assure the eLearning environment and its constituents before learners can access the learning materials
7.Funds for procuring eLearning infrastructure including training of the teachers and technical staff. Meanwhile many countries
are in short of funds to fight the Covid-19 not to talk of providing funds to procure eLearning infrastructure
8.Epileptic supply of electricity in most countries
9.Need for the students and teachers to acquire relevant adjustment skill in the migration from brick and wall environment to
virtual learning
10.Concern of digitalizing the learning materials. Cost implication, need for physical presence of teachers and ICT personnel in
the face of total lockdown in most African countries
11.Issue of introducing e-Learning in all the tiers of education; kindergarten, primary, secondary, high school and the
university

 
Lessons learned from the COVID-19 response
-Method of disseminating knowledge has been for long the same whereas it should have been upscaled by including online mode
-Learning does not necessarily require the presence of teachers/lecturers
- Education industry need to be massively funded to provide learning infrastructure, materials and training purposes
 
Good practices with the COVID-19 response
- Awareness that people should be sensitive to promoting safety wherever they are
- Encouragement of self learning
-Awareness on the part of the government of each country that online learning must be funded and encouraged
-Lecturers and learners have accepted need to improve their digital skills
- Partnership between the institutions and IT company is being strengthened

 
Innovations implemented during the COVID-19 response
- Use of Virtual platform like ZOOM, Go ToMeeting, WhatsApp and facebook for teaching and learning
- Encouragement of self learning among the learners
- Putting and sending learning materials to learners through the cloud

Name of Organisation: UNESCO IICBA
 
Website: www.iicba.unesco.org
 
Key objectives of the initiative/program?
The objective is to support to teachers during the COVID-19 school closure in Africa. We are running weekly webinars for teachers, teacher educators and policy makers. The theme of these webinars are demand driven, such as ICT and e-learning, learning assessment, e-earning in higher education, etc. We are also working on partnership building in teacher support.

We are also running a programme for peace/resilience building and PVE through teacher development. A series of webinars are planned in both French and English. We have materials in English, French and Arabic languages.

 
Elements of the Initiative/Program
Provision of Open Online Course , Direct support to Ministries of Education, Support to Innovators, Other (to be specified); support to teachers and teacher educators.
 
Sectors of Education targeted by the Initiative/Program
Pre-School, Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Education, Others (to be specified); teacher training
 
Other Organisations/Institiutions involved in implementing the program/initiative
AU HRST, UNESCO, UNICEF, Education International, AFTRA, CEMASTEA, ADEA, RECs (IGAD, ECOWAS, EAC, SADC),
 
Regions in Africa benefiting from Program/Initiative
Eastern Africa, Western Africa, Northern Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa
 
Countries in Africa benefiting from Program/Initiative
Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
 
Challenges with the COVID-19 response
Internet connectivity is a major challenge for us and also partner countries.
Existing inequality has been amplified with the COVID-19 school closure. While well-resourced urban (private) schools can use e-learning, majority of schools for the underserved population are not able to do so.
Funding is diminishing and industrialized countries seem to be more concerned on their own issues than international development.
 
Lessons learned from the COVID-19 response
In an emergency situation, partnership is important but the speed is vital. Some of the partners would not start until all discussion is carried out.

Resilience is vital all the time and the COVID-19 made it very clear.
 
Good practices with the COVID-19 response
Weekly webinar we are running in French and English are well received and have participation of 80-200 practitioners every time. This makes teachers' voices heard. COVID-19 school closure made many of us how important education is and teachers are. I hope this will continue.
 
Innovations implemented during the COVID-19 response
We are working on resource platform and hub for teachers. This can be useful in post COVID-19.

We are also better connected virtually than before. This can continue after the crisis.