The Ministry of Education, HP Inc. and Mirai Partners have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a cooperative relationship that fosters excellence and talent development in the education sector – through the participation of selected teachers on the HP Innovation and Digital Education Academy (HP IDEA) programme.
The newly launched programme, in collaboration with Intel, offers educators in the country an opportunity to create digital capabilities based on educational frameworks from leading global universities.
“We are committed to the continual integration of technology in our schools,” said Bradley Pulford, Vice President and Managing Director for HP Africa: “HP IDEA will enable educators to acquire the right skills to take advantage of blended and digital learning solutions.
“The education system was under a lot of pressure due to the COVID-19 lockdowns in the country. This was especially the case in public schools, where closures significantly disrupted the lives of learners and educators when it came to teaching and learning methods. The programme focuses on pedagogy rather than specific products. This way, educators can be equipped with the latest tools and best practices in teaching and learning; which in turn will enable better learning outcomes for students.”
Catherine Appiah-Pinkrah, Director of General Administration-Ministry of Education said: “The last two academic years have been a real challenge for teachers all over the world. School closures, a sharp transition to online education, and adaptation to new realities are not an easy task for both schoolchildren and their teachers. It is necessary to build the education system in such a way that no external factors can stop the educational process. For this, it is important to give teachers new knowledge and develop competencies in the field of IT and an interactive approach to teaching. We are glad that our teachers now have an excellent opportunity to join HP IDEA and improve their qualifications based on some of the world’s best programmes”.
Christine Nasserghodsi, Co-founder of Mirai commented: “We have been supporting schools in their response to COVID-19 since February 2020. What began as a crisis response has evolved into a long-term approach to teaching and learning, and the use of digital tools and resources. Effective distance and hybrid learning require innovation and a deep understanding of learning design, and one aspect of this is the use of technology. No one is better equipped to shape the future of education than teachers and school leaders. That is the core value of the HP IDEA programme, which we have translated into a year-long programme for select schools”.
The programme is mapped against and delivers on the United Nation’s Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) and the CESA objectives (Continental Education Strategy for Africa). The academy also incorporates world-class research and frameworks from Harvard Graduate School of Education and the University of Michigan.
Two programmes for participating schools will be made available by HP Inc.:
- HP IDEA Fellow – A one-year pathway for a select cadre of innovative practitioners and instructional leaders. It is an immersive teacher development programme designed to enable teachers, leaders and students to develop and access new learning modalities at select schools in South Africa. Participating schools select 3-6 teachers and instructional leaders to shape practice at the school level through four conferences and weekly learning sessions.
- HP IDEA Associate – This includes focused coursework, designed by HP IDEA Fellows under guidance from Mirai & HP. All staff members at the participating schools will have the opportunity to become HP IDEA Associates by engaging in turnaround training developed and delivered by HP IDEA Fellows.
