The coronavirus pandemic and the Ebola outbreak fragilized the education system in Guinea. This highlighted the need to set up innovative tools to back the education system.

Last Friday, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Guinean Ministry of Pre-University Education launched the pilot phase of the e-learning platform "Learning Passport," at Gbessia Port 1 elementary school in the commune of Matoto, Conakry. The new digital platform, created to support student learning, will provide continuous access to educational resources for children, youth, and teachers.

According to Dr. Adama Ouedraogo (photo, left), UNICEF's Acting Representative in Guinea, the new platform will help "improve teaching and learning and enhance the skills and knowledge acquired  both formally and informally." "To students, it means continuous access to the curriculum and additional learning materials. To teachers, it means steady access to training opportunities and educational support," he added.

Over the four coming months, the platform will be test-run in two schools  (Ratoma Centre and Gbessia port 1) in Conakry. The National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP), with the support of UNICEF, will assess teachers' and students' ability to access the digital content available on "Learning Passport."

The platform, delivered by UNICEF and powered by Microsoft Community Training, was developed with a unique suite of online and offline features and capabilities. It will first be deployed in places with intermittent or no Internet connectivity - often places where children find themselves unable to access quality digital educational tools and content.

Samira Njoya