Transforming education, empowering communities, promoting development

I have just discovered a useful website - the "Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative" (GeSCI). It was actually established in 2004, borne out of the work of the United Nations ICT Task Force which identified education as an area in critical need of development, and one where ICTs have the potential to make positive impacts.

The UN ICT Task Force approved a proposal for a UN-affiliated organisation to provide demand-driven assistance to developing countries seeking to harness the potential of ICTs to improve the quality of teaching and learning in primary and secondary education. GeSCI is headquartered in Dublin, with the support of the governments of Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland and Finland. Canada was one of the founding partners.

GeSCI provides strategic advice to Ministries of Education in developing countries on the effective use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for education and community development. Adopting a demand driven, collaborative and comprehensive approach, GeSCI aims to improve the quality of teaching and learning through the strategic and effective use of ICTs, thereby transforming education, empowering communities and promoting development.

GeSCI has developed five thematic areas or work streams to respond to the needs of the developing countries:

• Policy Development
• Strategic Implementation Planning
• ICTs in Teaching & Learning
• Infrastructure & Connectivity
• Monitoring & Evaluation

More on e-schools.