Piloteducationmodel Tanzania

Pilot Education Model - Tanzania

GROUP 6 December 14, 2007 Final Project – STRAT 445

Joshua Bloom Jason Manningham David Sanese Mark Wein

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction a) Problem Statement b) Organization Definition c) Overview of Program d) Objectives e) Pilot Geographical Region f) Target level of Education g) Timeline h) Overall Benefit 2. Offering a) Product i) Hardware ii) Software iii) Wireless b) Service i) Computer Usage ii) Kiosks 3. Financing 4. Sustainability and Benefits a) Incentives b) In-Class Community Projects 5. Logistical Challenges a) Safety b) Electricity c) Environmental and Health Concerns d) Backlash 6. Concluding Statements 7. Appendix

1) Introduction a) Problem Statement As countries seek to modernize, many social efforts are centered on improving the education system. This is often a difficult task, as resources are limited and accessibility to rural areas, in particular, impose a significant challenge. Furthermore, students in rural areas have to walk long distances to and from school, making school a full day venture. An appropriate model must be feasible and sustainable to make a permanent improvement on education. b) Organization Definition As a non-profit consulting firm, we plan to oversee the development and implementation of a feasible education model specifically applicable to developing countries. c) Overview of Program Our model is comprised of a system of kiosks, each located at a village center containing several computers. If the village currently does not have a community center, we will help construct a center as a community-based project. The kiosk will also serve as a place of business for adult community members to access the internet for a fee. Through internet connection and web-conferencing software, education can be brought to a substantial number of students spread over a large geographical area. The utilization of teachers will also increase, as they will be able to interact with multiple students through the online networks from a single location.

d) Objectives •

Gain government support to change the current education system based on our initiative

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Gain local community support to participate in our program

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Solicit funds from organizations to provide initial start up costs of the program

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Create a sustainable education model applicable to developing nations

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Successfully implement the program in the pilot region of Arusha, Tanzania

e) Pilot Geographical Region We plan to pilot our program in the Arusha region of Tanzania. We have selected this region for several reasons: •

Tanzania is a rapidly developing country, and houses important international bodies such as the African Union. This gives us easier access to many important international organizations and governing bodies.

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Tanzania is becoming increasingly globalized and is open to working with programs and international organizations to help modernize the country. There have been major national developments as tourism becomes a larger industry in the country and GDP continues to rise.

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One primary spoken language exists. This makes implementation of our program easier, as Swahili and English are the two most spoken and taught languages within the country. Also, most neighboring countries also have similar languages, helping us avoid the problem of numerous dialects over a small area. This correlates with a need for less teachers and easier carryover of all products to neighboring areas and countries.

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Tanzania has one of the most well-developed and established infrastructure systems in Africa. Internet and cell-phone capabilities exist throughout a large majority of the country.

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Arusha region is extremely rural, but within close proximity to Kilimanjaro and Dar el Salaam (Tanzania), and Nairobi (Kenya). This gives us access to several large, developing cities and numerous additional resources.

f) Target Level of Education While educational deficiencies are prevalent throughout all ages, for the purpose of this project we plan to specifically focus on areas of primary education (ages 8-14). By focusing on primary education, this program targets the heart of the education issue at hand. While the program targets this group, it will involve older students, including those in secondary education and universities. g) Timeline Year 0: Generate governmental support | Establish relationships with Intel, UNESCO, Bill Gates Foundation, etc. | Develop grants for participating university students | Begin development of Swahili-adapted software and IT applications | Lobby and generate funding | Locate and establish kiosks | Train teachers and IT specialists | University students and teachers build parallel websites suited to Tanzania/Swahili | Purchase all technology Year 1: Begin program | Continue building relationships, training, establish funding, and encouraging IT development Year 2: Begin to understand demand for scanners, printers, music downloading, and other IT capabilities to further generate Kios-kafé revenues | Purchase technology Year 3: Extensive training to IT specialist for maintenance issues that are no longer covered under warranty Years 4 and 5: Further develop revenue streams, including Kios-kafé and Aravind-model selective technology charging

Year 6: Purchase replacement computers After year 6: Encourage further operational sustainability by incorporating former students of the program into the model | Take data on increased educational levels | Present data to neighboring areas | Begin to establish similar programs in neighboring areas | Further develop more advanced and inexpensive alternative hardware, software, and web capabilities | Phase out of Arusha and Kilimanjaro programs to help with neighboring area models, handing responsibility off to former system students, government, etc. h) Overall Benefit The goal of this education model is to improve the primary education of the students it serves. The model specifically teaches its students necessary basic skills in a more efficient, flexible, and feasible manner. By offering grants and other benefits to students in higher education, the model encourages collaboration and feedback with a diverse group of people, both enhancing the learning environment and making the program operationally sustainable. Also, the program makes education more accessible for rural communities. 2) Offering a) Product The end product our organization can offer is the development of a sustainable education model. The development of this model requires the integration of hardware products, software products, and wireless internet.

i) Hardware Intel’s Classmate PC is specifically designed for kids aged five to fourteen in developing nations. It is lightweight, has a convenient carrying handle, and a rugged design to withstand daily use. It includes a built-in wireless network card, and has a wireless pen for digital note taking. The Classmate PC is also compatible with the Linux based operating system, which can be uploaded for free. 1 We will rely on the Classmate PC as an educational assistant for both students and teachers. The laptop is relatively inexpensive, and has been proven to be a successful educational assistant tool by Intel’s pilot programs in over 30 countries to date. A major benefit of the Classmate PC is the software bundle that accompanies it. This program allows students to draw, write, and take notes using a digital pen, and will format and store the document on the PC. With this technology, students can practice penmanship and submit their handwritten papers online. Also, the PC has an e-learning classroom program that connects the teacher’s laptop to the student’s laptop via wireless connection. This software program has certain key benefits for the learning environment: 1. Each student can view the teacher’s screen for demonstration purposes. Also, teachers can stream multimedia class material to student’s devices. 2. The teacher can click on an individual student’s screen at any point and view their work. This also enables the teacher to “lock” a student’s screen onto a particular program. 1

http://www.classmatepc.com/classmatepc-system-hardware.html

3. Teachers can give individual and group instructions. ii) Software Given that there are limited word processing software programs available, our organization would propose our model to the Bill Gates Foundation to solicit the development of a word processing software program based in Swahili. The Bill Gates Foundation has contributed substantial funds to similar programs in the developing world, and they would hopefully become an active participant in our initiative. This would allow students’ access to modern software programs that have been formatted to their cultural setting. In terms of educational content, our model would rely upon open source educational websites with a proven track record. 1. www.educ.ar is an Argentinean based site that provides educational material for both students and teachers. It provides teachers with k-12 curriculum for natural and social science, math, language, technology, and internet use tutorials. We would utilize the local university students to create a parallel website in Swahili for use in our educational model. 2. www.heymath.com is a proven site that allows teachers to illustrate mathematical concepts through the use of diagrams. Each student can log in and access different math units. The site also allows teachers to track student progress by seeing what units they have accessed. Again, we would need university students to help create a parallel site based in Swahili to integrate this math curriculum into our educational content. 3. www.schoolnetafrica.net has proven to be a useful way for students and teachers to network together, and post lesson plans, assignments, and other educational information. A site similar to this can be created for Tanzania to link the entire nation’s population of students and teachers and will act as a way to share information within the established network, similar to C-tools at the University of Michigan.

iii) Wireless As our educational model relies heavily on the internet and wireless networks, wireless internet must be available at each kiosk. WiMax (802.16) internet connection will be used to link computers to each other and provide low cost internet over long distances. In light of the use of kiosks in our model, an “Organic Mesh Network” would be most appropriate to supply wireless internet to network users. In a mesh network, FMS access points are installed at each kiosk to serve as the wireless interface. For example, the kiosk in direct range to the wireless router will then act as a router for other kiosks not in direct range of the original source, creating a web of potential access points. Intel, a provider of WiMax internet, has already had over 300 worldwide trials, and has extensive experience working with governments to bring low-cost broadband internet to previously inaccessible communities. For example, they recently set up the first public WiMax network in India and the rural Amazon. Due to the established business relationship with Intel supplying Classmate PC’s for our educational model, they may be an appropriate provider of wireless broadband as well. However, several telecommunication companies have begun supplying WiMax, so we would accept bids and employ the lowest cost solution. We would rely on the government to aid in the development and supply of low-cost broadband internet to the Arusha region.

a) Service i) Computer Usage •

Individual Use Students will be divided into groups of three to work at the computers. During this time they will be able to work on assignments, use tutorials, practice reading and writing, and use the internet for educational purposes.

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Teachers Each kiosk, composed of approximately 125 students, will have a total of 18 hours of lecture time per week. This equates to 54 total lecture hours required per kiosk each week. The goal is to have 1 teacher per kiosk. To accomplish this, assuming a teacher works a typical 40 hour week, 14 hours of teaching will need to be outsourced. To do this, 14 hours will be video-conferenced from one kiosk to another. These teachers are already in the Tanzanian educational system, but are not being utilized as efficiently as they would be in our system. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has launched a highpriority initiative to improve the number of teachers and quality of their training. We intend to work alongside UNESCO and other volunteer initiatives to train and provide the primary teachers in the new system. Teachers must also be trained in basic IT. Through a program called Intel Skool, Intel has helped educate teachers in IT and provide them with online curriculums for their classes. To best implement the Classmate PC, we will need Intel to partner with our education

program and assist in educating teachers in IT and teaching with the new technology. ii) Kiosks To achieve sustainability, we must use the kiosk as a source to provide a consistent stream of revenue. We intend to use the kiosk as a cybercafé for adult community members to access the internet at a fee. One IT employee will operate each Kiosk to provide maintenance to the computers and IT help for the customers. GeekCorps is a not for profit organization that teaches and promotes private enterprise in rural communities via affordable information and communication technologies 2. We intend to use GeekCorps as a partner who will help train kios-kafé in basic IT and consult with our organization on ways to improve profitability. b) Financing Our model requires initial funding from organizations and government subsidies for the various fixed and variable costs. However, we intend to achieve sustainability by using the revenue stream provided by the kiosk to fund the education program. We will need 6 computers at each kiosk to provide students with sufficient access to a computer. Based upon our calculations (*see appendix), this means 31 kiosks and 201 computers will be required to service the target pilot region of Arusha (including computers allocated to teachers). At $200 per computer, $40,200 will be the initial funding required. The Classmate PC comes with a 3-year warranty, which will cover all 2

http://www.geekcorps.org

service costs for the first three years, allowing time to better develop local IT specialists. These specialists will be on-site volunteers from Universities and will be compensated based on a reduction in annual tuition. The useful life of a PC is approximately 6 years, meaning $40,200 will need to be spent every 6 years on computers, or $6700 per year. Kios-Kafé allows adults in the community to gain access to the technology on a pay-asyou-go basis. The Kios-Kafé will be offered 4 hours per day, during night hours. Based off of competitive numbers we have discovered in our research, the overall revenue stream from various product offerings are calculated in the appendix. (*see appendix) The internet and downloading music will be the only initial Cybercafé revenues, as we have not accounted for printer/scanners and we are unsure of the demand for these services in a new market. This would give $465.38 per year with upwards potential of $1195.38. We hope to bring in additional revenues by incorporating a system which works like the Aravind model, in which revenues are extracted from those who can afford it. Advanced courses will be offered to these students. We have found that 20% of the Tanzanian population earns at least $5 per day3. Targeting this wealthier group at $.75 per day (15% of their income) for two additional advanced courses will result in approximately $273.75 per year for each student. If we assume 80% of this wealthier population (16% of 125 students per kiosk) takes advantage of the opportunity, this equates to $5475 per kiosk, or $5940 with Kios-Kafé initially with upwards potential as increased efficiency

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http://www.cia.gov/factbook

occurs and people begin to see the potential value derived. This directly compares with the $6700 per year cost of the technology. We believe that if we can equate these revenues and costs, only initial funding will be necessary to sustain this program. We intend for the government and other organizations to be the primary source of this funding. Along with the obvious improvement in education of its citizens, we will pitch the overall program to the government with the idea that fewer teachers will be needed in these areas. It will also be necessary to convince universities of the inherent value of the program, so that they offer encouragement, primarily in the form of grants for university students to involve themselves in working with our students. We will also have to rely upon a humanitarian view from many of the groups involved in our pitch to them. UNESCO, Intel, Microsoft, GeekCorps, and the Bill Gates Foundation have historically shown devotion to similar programs. This program has the potential to be expanded to neighboring countries. 2) Sustainability and benefits a) Incentives University students will be brought in via grants from their respective institutions, including 5 higher learning public universities, 4 public constituent university colleges, 17 private universities, and 19 other higher learning institutions4. The grants will be a 4

http://www.nbs.go.tz/TZ_FIGURES/TZ_FIG_2006.pdf

cooperative effort of the universities and, in cases of public universities, the government. These students will be given basic IT training by the IT specialists, who will be trained by our group and with help from the teachers and Intel Teach, GeekCorps, and UNESCO. University students will have multiple roles within our program. First, they will serve as tutors to students through online chat rooms and point to point networking. Second, they will help the program adapt educational websites to the Swahili language and to fit the local culture. Integrating University students into our program helps achieve sustainability because it provides our students increased exposure to higher education, which will hopefully allow some students to seek higher education and in return give back to the program. b) In-class community projects During students’ late teenage years (15-19) they will begin to be looked to by their communities to work and provide for their families. It is vital that we show community members the direct benefit our program has to their local communities. Otherwise, these kids will continue to drop out of school and work for their families instead. To accomplish this, we will have this age group focus on the application of their knowledge through projects to better their communities. This can include increasing agricultural productivity, setting up a microfinance institution, informative health projects, or researching alternative methods for water purification. Through these projects, small communities will be able to increase productivity and hopefully gain enough disposable income to provide for the basic needs (food, health costs, shelter and clothing, water) of

a family. Once the basic needs are met, education can be viewed by local villagers as the main way to alleviate poverty and better their situation. 3) Logistical Challenges a) Safety One major concern in making laptops available to young children in developing nations is theft control. Given the high costs of the technology and important benefits that can be yielded for entire villages, it is important to monitor and safely secure all equipment. Intel’s theft control software, which is bundled with the Classmate PC, can deter potential thefts. This software was developed to discourage thieves from stealing the laptops by rendering stolen laptops useless. This is accomplished by requiring a digital certificate from the school network to authenticate a computer. If the computer is not logged on over a certain period of time, the certificate expires and the device becomes locked and unable to start-up. Another way to improve security would be to safely secure all equipment after hours of operation. While kiosks are closed it will be especially important to secure all laptops to help prevent their theft. b) Electricity Electricity poses a major concern and obstacle for this initiative. While Tanzania has setup an advanced infrastructure comparative to most of Africa, electricity is still largely unavailable in rural villages. However, as this area is near major cities electricity has slowly been expanding. Electric outlets do exist along roads and near tourist destinations and hotels. As a result, electricity can be brought to these villages for minimal cost with the help of government subsidies.

c) Environmental and Health Concerns In bringing technology to rural settings, the adaptability of the product to the environment will always be a pressing issue. Intel has taken this into account by making the Classmate PC rugged to withstand minor damage, lightweight to be easily transported long distances, and efficient enough to run on minimal electricity. Also, the Classmate PC comes with a 3 year service warranty, which will cover an extensive amount of maintenance issues that may come up with the technology. If the IT specialist working at each Kiosk is properly trained, hopefully there will be minimal costs associated with the maintenance of the technology. There are also many health concerns which can come from people using the same computers. As a result, it will be important to try and disinfect and clean the kiosks each night. This can help prevent the spread of diseases which can result from a large number of people coming into contact through the use of these computers. d) Backlash As with bringing new ideas and technology into new cultures and societies, there is a risk of backlash. The two main risks of backlash arise from governments and villagers. Currently, the risk of backlash from the Tanzanian government is almost non-existent. The Tanzanian government has shown a profound willingness and openness to aid and assist organizations and other parties who attempt to bring aid or development to Tanzanian villages and societies. The government is extremely opened to volunteers and visitors, and frequently assists in these efforts by offering subsidies, grants, or resources.

This willingness has especially grown as the tourism industry has begun to greatly expand in the country. Villagers pose the main risk from backlash. As with any society, new ideas and changes to existing norms are frequently met with uncertainty and criticism. Changes which can alter the makeup or beliefs of cultures are always a particularly sensitive issue. As a result, it is extremely important to use care when implementing this plan in areas that are more questioning of its purpose. During the implementation stage, our organization will present the education initiative to each village community, explaining the purpose, the objectives, and the potential benefits to the local community members. By respecting cultural beliefs and including community members in the implementation process, our program will have a greater chance for success. This will also help gain trust and build a strong, lasting relationship with each community. 4) Concluding Statements The importance of improving the educational system in Tanzania, one of the most rapidly developing countries in Africa, is undeniable. Creating a sustainable program that can better reach rural areas will provide new exposure and opportunities for both individuals and communities. With our program villagers will have new opportunities to learn. These benefits can be realized by each individual intellectually as well as by each community as a whole. The most promising aspect of our proposal is its scalability. Using the Arusha region as a pilot study, the program can be easily expanded and adopted in other regions or countries. This provides potential to create a model that can easily bring education to

more people who currently are not able to receive an adequate education. The problem of illiteracy in the world is one of the greatest challenges we currently face, and this program can be another solution to tackle this difficult problem

Appendix Note 1: Calculation of # of computers at each kiosk necessary to service appropriate student groups 44% of the population is under 15 in the specified area. With the target age group incorporating 6 years, 8-14, we estimate it will not comprise more than 20% of the total population, equating to approximately 125 targeted students per kiosk. Setting the maximum walking distance to each kiosk of 2.8 km or 34 minutes (covering an area of 16 square kilometers), individual work time in groups of three at 12 hours per week, and group teaching time at 18 hours per week, we will need approximately 6 computers at each kiosk. Since we are servicing an area of 500 square kilometers, this means 31 kiosks and 186 computers. For flexibility purposes, we will designate approximately 1 computer per 2 kiosks for teachers, resulting in 201 necessary computers. Note 2: Calculation of potential revenue streams from Kios-Kafé. Revenues based on competitive industry analysis. i

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Internet: $0.625/Hour x 4 Hours/Day x 0.80 Utilization x 365 Days/Year = $456.25/Year Printing: $0.03/Page x 50 Pages/Day x 365 Days/Year = $547.50/Year Scanning: $0.05/Page x 10 Pages/Day x 365 Days/Year = $182.50 Downloading Music: $0.05 / Song x 0.5 songs/day x 365 Days Year = $9.13/Year

*Note 3: Calculation of student work hours, and computer allocation Per Week Hours of Group Teaching Hours of Individual Work Hours CyberTiGi Hours Available Number Students Per Teaching Group Number Students at CPU at a time for Individual Work Number Individual Work Groups Each CPU can serve Number Students per CPU

18 12 28 140

41.6 3

10 30

Note 4: Calculation of CPU’s per Kiosk based on population and distance Laptops per kiosk People/Sq Km Student Proportion Sq Km People Students Walking Distance Walking Minutes # Teaching Groups # Individual Work Groups # CPUs necessary

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3 39 0.2 4 156 31 1.41 16.97 1 11 1.1

9 351 70 2.12 25.46 2 24 2.4

16 624 125 2.83 33.94 3 42 4.2

25 975 195 3.54 42.43 5 65 6.5

36 1404 281 4.24 50.91 7 94 9.4