(3 minutes read)
· Zimbabwean Artificial Intelligence expert William Sachiti,
CEO of UK-based start-up has come out with an open-source technology
titled ‘Trees of Knowledge’ to improve access to education using
smart phones in Africa.
· There are provisions for charging mobile phones through
solar-powered battery charging station, which means that in villages,
which do not have electricity connection, as is the case with most of
the villages in Africa, can use the mobile phones and download the
education content
Despite being in the shadow of an economic gloom, the techies in
Zimbabwe seems to be doing well at least creatively. Zimbabwean
Artificial Intelligence expert William Sachiti, CEO of UK-based
start-up has come out with an open-source technology titled ‘Trees
of Knowledge’ to improve access to education using smart phones in
Africa.
This technology enables a tree or any other landmark to broadcast
using a WIFI connection that provides access to a pre-loaded package
of educational content. The w WIFI connection and content are stored
in a micro-computer affixed in a tree or any other landmark in the
village. There are safety devices to protect the device from theft or
damage.
People living in a radius of 100 meters can access the content on
the mobile phones free of charge. There are provisions for charging
mobile phones through solar-powered battery charging station, which
means that in villages, which do not have electricity connection, as
is the case with most of the villages in Africa, can use the mobile
phones and download the education content. The micro-computers need
only a small rechargeable battery to run for years without
maintenance. Basic requirement is a WIFI-enabled device, such as a
phone, tablet, laptop or computer. The phone need not be connected to
a network provider, which can help the user to avoid paying to the
service provider for data use, which is expensive in most of the
African countries.
Experts feel that this device can bring revolutionary changes in the
education system in villages in Africa and elsewhere cut off from
mainstream or where educational facilities are lacking. Across the
world, there are 258 million children out of school, according UNESCO
estimates. The challenge is particularly acute in sub-Saharan Africa
where the population of primary-school children has doubled since
1990. One in every 5 children of primary school age is out of
school. Because of the high density of mobile phones in the region
(23% of people own mobile phones in the region), experts believe that
the new and technology can be leveraged to reach out to more children
to provide quality basic education to them.
