Eight secondary schools across four African nations have received an Ericsson-supported cloud-computing solution that provides schools with a low-maintenance, easy-to-use model, which has been optimised for mobile broadband networks
The PC as a Service solution, which uses laptops on a mobile broadband connection, grants students access to news, information and the latest educational content, and forms part of the successful Connect To Learn programme.
The tool also enables teachers to place greater focus on their students as the maintenance of the solution is conducted remotely.
There are currently eight secondary schools using the PC as a Service solution across Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, of which all are located within Millennium Villages Project clusters where global communications giant Ericsson has provided network infrastructure solutions and services.
Elaine Weidman, vice president for sustainability and corporate responsibility at Ericsson, said, “Mobile and broadband technology is a key enabler for access to a quality education in all communities, even the poorest and most rural.
“Delivering cloud-based computers and connecting them in the eight schools is a major step in our mission to bring a quality secondary education to more students.”
Ericsson has claimed that the programme could be used to provide 21st century educational facilities to more that 5,000 African students and their teachers.
Along with its Connect To Learn partners, which include the Sanchez-Palm Girls Scholarship Fund, SpinMaster, JM Eagle and a number of individual contributors, Ericsson is also planning to distribute more than 500 multi-year scholarships throughout 2012. Each scholarship will cover tuition, boarding and other school-related expenses.
