By 2035, Africa will have the largest workforce in the world. Investing in young people’s education is the best way to make the most of this opportunity. Digital transformation can lead to rapid, sustained economic growth, but only if countries invest in digital infrastructure and human capital. Youth need to be prepared for the digital economy and the future of work.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the depth of the socio-economic inequalities that exist in our society and country at large. Most students who depended on the resources that were available in schools, such as computer labs, Wi-Fi, and library resources, had their accounts compromised. Students without technological resources at home found themselves using cell phones, televisions, and radios to continue their participation in an online learning system that did not cater to them. The majority of students who did not have access to digital devices and the literacy skills to use them, were just at home.  

In Tanzania, as in most other developing countries, education is highly dependent on teachers. However, teachers have received no further additional professional support for a long time, leading to ineffective teaching and, hence, poor performance in schools. Qualified teachers are often seen as a catalyst in the introduction and effective use of technology in schools. Unfortunately, in many African countries, the lack of trained teachers and the low levels of teachers’ ICT knowledge and skills have been identified as major impediments to effectively introducing technology into schools.

To help solve this problem, we aim to enhance the integration of ICT into teaching and learning in low-resource public schools to prepare young people for the digital economy and the future of work.Our key focus areas for this project include:

• Establishment of computer labs in public schools.

• Establishment of student ICT clubs.

• Providing access to additional learning resources for the job market, i.e., Coding and Digital Literacy Skills. 
• Integration of ICT in teaching and learning.