To mark the International Girls in ICT Day, Lyra is proud to share the newest blog in our series “in conversation with…”, focusing on the opportunities and challenges in digital technology use in Tanzania.
Joining our conversation are Lyra Board Members Mama Maria Kamm (MCF Paradise) and Dayani Mbowe (Camara Education) and woman in tech, Janice Maige.
How widespread is the use of digital technology in Tanzania today?
Mama Kamm: Today, citizens who cannot even read and write in rural areas, have telecom access. The mobile phone has become a necessary gadget, with more than 80% penetration rate. How do we tap into this, to enhance other uses of digital tech? It is obvious that this big tsunami of digital transformation cannot be escaped and it will be a crime for today’s leaders not to foresee this force of digital technology.
Janice Maige: As the use of mobile phones increases, the gadget has become more of a necessity than a want. From using them to catch up with family to becoming a core part of business dealings, mobile phones have become a crucial part of life. Telecom companies have not been left behind. Over 50% of rural Tanzania now has broadband coverage, more citizens are now exposed to the internet, even the ones who can’t read and write are able to use a smartphone. From this we can see that digital technology is spreading like wildfire in all areas in the country.
Dayani Mbowe: As for now digital technology is widespread in Tanzania in many sectors. However, the education sector is still lagging behind especially in primary and secondary schools. Both government and non-government stakeholders have implemented several initiatives to address the gap, but a lot needs to be done to enable at least 30% of the 19,996 primary and secondary schools to adopt ICT in teaching and learning. Our country needs to embrace digital technology in education in order to improve education outcomes and prepare youth for securing opportunities in the digital economy.
Today, digital technology is being used in education around the world, and integrating digital technology is also a core part of the Lyra model. Do you think digital technology should be included in the Tanzanian curriculum? What is the impact of introducing digital education to the Tanzanian youth?
Dayani Mbowe: YES, digital technology should be included in the Tanzania curriculum. Actually, both primary and secondary school curriculum has included ICT subjects. Recently, the government introduced a new combination for advanced secondary education with Physics, Mathematics and Computer (PMC). This is a good initiative to prepare youth for careers in ICT however a lot needs to be done to improve the delivery of ICT subjects in both primary and secondary schools. Introducing digital education to our schools will help to prepare youth to be active participants of the fourth industrial revolution and digital economy and ensure the government plans for industrialization are achieved.
Janice Maige: We’re in a time where we are actively using Artificial Intelligence in many different parts of life. Not having digital technology in the syllabus is almost a crime, it’s one way of ensuring that our youth will not move with the rest of the world from both social and economic aspects. With technology, we are able to solve many problems that are now facing our country, and the people to do this are our youth, hence it’s important for them to learn it so they may be able to tap to the different capabilities and revolutions that tech can bring.
One of the impacts of using technology that we’ve also witnessed in Lyra’s Digital Learning program is the instant opening up of a student’s thinking ability. Technology promotes you to think. If students are motivated to think then there is a vast number of possibilities for their future. Furthermore, we will not need to wait to get new technology from first world countries, there’s a chance we’ll be able to have technological breakthroughs here in Tanzania.
Mama Kamm: The 21st Century, a globalized society – how prepared are we? How are we preparing the next generation to be a part of this society? In the current global world, the issue of education is and can no longer be national, rather, the emphasis should be international. And if we truly want to be international, it is important to look at and learn from education provisions in the different nations around the world.
Digital technology and the internet dominate the current and future world in all modes of operation, most of which remain completely foreign to the culture of the country and of the mentality of our youth. How do we as a society, prepare these youth for the actuality of tomorrow? The international force on youth is so great that if we do not realize it, we will have a very tough time as a nation in our modus operandi in trade, international banking, health, agriculture, infrastructure etc. The use of digital technology is unavoidable.
Lyra believes it is of critical importance to level the playing field and ensure equitable access to technology. Why do you think it is important to include girls in technology?
Janice Maige: Almost 50% of the youth in Tanzania are female, with technology being such a crucial driving force for development. Not including half the future working class will be crippling to our economy. Hence, it’s important to include women in tech from all levels i.e., school and work. Not only that but also, there are number of challenges that women face in the community, if women are the ones facing problems who better to solve them than women themselves? It’ll be difficult to have technological solutions that touch everyone in the community if women are not allowed to learn and use technology. Furthermore, it’s been proven that diverse workforces have increased productivity, since men and women’s brains work differently. With most of our current offices having and using technology, it’s important to bring women onboard to promote more ideas, processes and innovations in our institutions.
Dayani Mbowe: According to 2019 Basic Education Statics, 50% of primary students in Tanzania are female, while in tertiary education institutions, female compose 32.6% of students who study computer science and information technology related courses. Thus, we will be a failed nation if we won't include girls in all our programs. If we want an equal generation, we must consider equal participation in every field.
As a woman in tech, have you ever faced any gender-based challenges? What would your advice be to upcoming women in tech?
Janice Maige: The biggest challenge is people not being able to see or doubting your abilities because you’re a woman. Oftentimes people will need extra proof of the projects you’ve done because you’re a woman. I think this is a challenge on one side but on the other side it allows you to push further and learn more which in turns taps into abilities you didn’t even know you had.
What I can say to the upcoming women in tech is to not drop the mic. As women in tech, it took long and several actions for us to get here, though we’re not “there” yet but it is only through our efforts that we will. Remember that just because someone doubts that you can’t do something, it doesn’t mean it’s true. Keep learning, and taking that seat.
In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge for technological growth in Tanzania? How do you think we can overcome it?
Dayani Mbowe: Technological growth in Tanzania lacks coordinated support from local organisations and actors. Thus, strategical approach coordinated at national level needs to be established to foster technological growth in our country.
Janice Maige: Knowledge and inclusion would rank as number one. Though most people use smartphones and computers currently not many know or are willing to learn the real importance of technology beyond smartphones and what we can do with it. Not many people understand how technology can help out businesses or solve problems beyond advertising on Instagram. The main technology stakeholders i.e., the current developers, engineers and scientists need to educate the population not just by telling them but also allowing them to see and use the different products that have come about technology. This will help to a great extent for people to see just how much more of technology we can use.
Mama Kamm: When we look at Tanzania, does the education culture and curricula answer the question of the preparation of youth? Does it take into consideration the fact that future leaders are indeed ‘individuals’ who are not developed to respond to the demands of the future? Does it consider a future which is very dynamic? What needs to be done then? It is time to sit back and reanalyze the country's education, the curricula and the education culture in all schools and other education institutions in the country – this should be an urgent priority by our leaders.