Building A Digital Africa: The GetBundi Direction
It is an undeniable fact that digital infrastructure has developed significantly across nations in the past ten years, and it has been widely recognized that digitalization is one of the most powerful tools for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Africa’s Agenda 2063.
Digital applications are already driving socio-economic transformation, increasing efficient production, opening up new opportunities for income generation for millions of people, and enhancing connectivity between people and societies.
In the last fifteen years, the growth of digital technology which has been associated with innovations has been one of the bright spots for Africa’s development. However, a significant amount of the African population is lagging behind the rest of the world in getting equipped with the necessary 21st-century skills which are impeding digitization on the African continent.
A report by the International finance corporation (IFC) revealed that some 230 million jobs in sub-Saharan Africa will require some level of digital skills by 2030. Unfortunately, only a few governments on the African continent are investing strategically and systematically in developing digital infrastructure, services, and skills.
To become tomorrow’s innovators, entrepreneurs and great leaders, Africa’s youths need to be empowered with the necessary digital skills that are essential to thrive in an increasingly digitized global economy.
This implies that the failure of the majority of African youths to acquire the necessary digital skills will see them being denied the opportunity to be innovative and live up to their potential. Although in the past ten years, it is undeniable that digital infrastructure has significantly developed across the continent. Africa has recorded leaps in e-commerce, Fintech, and the like, which are evidences of a growing digital economy.
The growth is commendable, but there is still huge gap between those who possess relevant digital skills in the continent and those who do not.
In a bid to build a digital Africa that will spur innovation and development across the continent, government-approved EdTech platform GetBundi is on a mission to upskill millions of African youths. The platform is currently promoting digital skills learning across Africa by delivering engaging and accessible STEM courses and STI skills to equip anyone with 21st-century skills.
GetBundi makes on-hand learning possible by offering STEM education irrespective of an individual's location. It has been stated that Africa has a very huge potential to transform her economy and that of the world, and digital skills have been described as a key factor in achieving that.
In this regard, GetBundi has been working hard to ensure that Africa maximizes its full potential by equipping its youthful population with relevant digital skills. The edtech platform understands that once a digital Africa is achieved, it will unlock a virtuous cycle of both human and economic development.
GetBundi's goal is to make STEM and digital skills learning accessible to African youths at a very affordable price. Last year December, the startup decided to run some of its digital skills courses in pidgin English to make them more accessible to more Africans, given the conclusion of studies by UNESCO, the world bank, and others, that using a language of instruction closest to the people matters a lot especially for learning foundational skills.
GetBundi has projected that it would commit to upskilling 10 million Africans in the next 10 years through STEM and STI digital skills acquisition, via a strategy tagged “the GetBundi vision 2032”. The platform is also a resource that provides significant tools for the African Union to achieve its agenda for 2063.
Whether you are a secondary school student, a business owner, or an employee, GetBundi is structured in a way for everyone to learn. It offers some digital skills courses such as graphic design, digital marketing, video editing, and so on. After successful completion of learning, individuals are awarded a certificate that will see them stand out among their peers.
It is not far-fetched to say that Africa is very fortunate as the continent that has the world’s largest youthful population and the youngest workforce in the world. This means that equipping a large percentage of these youths with relevant digital skills will see the continent compete with the rest of the world.
Conclusion
As a continent, Africa has a lot of advantages when it comes to digitalization, which includes a proactive youthful population, increasing high internet penetration, etc. These unique advantages make Africa a perfect location to fully jump ahead and embrace digitalization.
There is no better time for a digital Africa than now. Being the youngest continent in the world provides Africa a unique chance to go through a radical digital transition as young people are exponentially more inclined to accept digital solutions.
The digital divide in Africa has generated considerable controversy. As it should be, access and skills are frequent topics of discussion because digital inclusion will surely have a substantial effect on the economy of Africa. A digital Africa will provide numerous benefits, which often fosters resilience during difficult times.
Digital transformation is not a technological fix or a one-off event, rather it is a social learning process, sustained over time, that involves diverse stakeholders to effectively carry it out to achieve a sustainable result.
Through Getbundi, STEM and Digital skills courses, coupled with different stakeholders actively playing a role, will no doubt lead to a key development for digital transformation in Africa.