International Development Division : IDD
March 2007
EDC Leads Education and Technology Summit in Yemen
Keeping young people in school longer and improving teacher quality are just two of the challenges facing educators in Yemen today, according to participants at a recent summit that brought together leaders from that country's public and private sectors as well as members of the international donor community and the Ministry of Education. Convened by EDC in Tai'z, Yemen, the summit focused on ways to propel Yemen's education system forward through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).
The Looking Forward Summit: Harnessing ICT to Build the Future of Yemeni Education was a culminating event for EDC's work over six years to introduce technology in Yemeni schools and prepare teachers to use it effectively. The Internet in Yemeni High Schools and the Instructional Leadership in Schools Initiative projects are both funded by USAID and the Middle East Partnership Initiative and directed by EDC.
“Leaders here are trying to figure out how best to use technology to achieve their educational goals,” explains Robert Spielvogel, EDC's Chief Technology Officer and an advisor to the work. “Two of their biggest goals are keeping young people in school longer and improving teacher quality.”
In the spirit of partnership, local leaders from Yemeni industry joined with representatives from a variety of international donor agencies including the World Bank and GTZ for the two-day summit. Alongside the EDC presenters, several high-ranking officials addressed the 70 attendees. They included the Minister of Telecommunications and Information, the Governor of Taiz, the Education Team Leader of USAID, and the Deputy Minister of Education.
EDC presenters showcased a variety of technologies in action, emphasizing each technology's potential to improve teacher performance and student outcomes. Demonstrations ranged from low-tech interactive radio instruction (IRI), where 3rd graders and their teacher enacted an IRI lesson in action, to the latest in handheld technology.
At the end of the two days, participants formed a steering committee to take the work forward. The committee pledged to develop a national ICT plan for Yemen in collaboration with leaders from the Ministry of Education, international donor community, and the private sector.
“I think the summit had the right impact,” reflects Spielvogel. “The Ministry has approached us to help them develop a framework for the national ICT plan. There is funding available for this, and we also see potential to expand on that in the year to come.”
IDD is a division of Education Development Center (EDC), an international, nonprofit organization with more than 325 projects dedicated to enhancing learning, promoting health, and fostering a deeper understanding of the world.
© 2009 Education Development Center