SchoolNet Africa


Type:	NGO
Industry:	ICT
Founded:	2001
Headquarters:	Johannesburg
Country:	South Africa
Email:	nafi.mbodj[at]schoolnetafrica.org
Website:	[www.schoolnet-africa.org]
Key People
Professor Babacar Fall, President

SchoolNet Africa is a non-government organization dedicated to improve the access to quality and efficient education through information, communication and technology (ICT) collaborates with learners, teachers, policymakers and practitioners through country-based schoolnet organisations across Africa. SchoolNet Africa is based in Johannesburg, South Africa. ^[1]

Background

The idea to establishe SchoolNet Africa started in September 1999 when International Develoment Research Centre (IDRC) Acacia Program hosted a workshop in Cape Town. It was participated by representatives from 10 African countries that belong to SchoolNet. During the workshop, the participants develop a case statement, which was formally endorsed during the African Development Forum (ADF) hosted by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) on November 1999. A business plan for SchoolNet Africa was developed through the IDRC's support. In 2000, the business plan was presented during a workshop on school networking in Africa held at Okahandja, Namibia. An Interim Steering Committee was created during the workshop which was attended by more than one hundred representatives from SchoolNet Projects, ministries of education and private sector. from 20 countries in Africa. In 2001, SchoolNet Africa was established in partnership with the Open Society Institute for Southern Africa (OSISA) after a formal endorsement from the Interim Steering Committee. ^[2]

Programs

The organization is focused on the following programs:^[3]

Researching ICTs for Education in Africa
Building African SchoolNet Champions
Supporting National SchoolNets
African Teachers Network
Mtandao
From Guns to Computers
Global Teenager Project
One Million Computers for African Schools