The Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Nomalungelo Gina, is in Dar Es Salaam leading a South African delegation at the 17th eLearning Africa Conference.
The eLearning Africa Conference, a three-day event taking place from 7 – 9 May, is Africa’s largest platform for sharing innovations in digital education, training, and skills development. This year’s conference, themed “Reimagining Education and Human Capital Development for Africa’s Future Prosperity”, aims to catalyse the integration of emerging technologies in education systems to develop a skilled, future-ready African workforce.
For the past 17 years, eLearning Africa has convened the Ministerial Roundtable in various African capitals, facilitating open discussions and practical recommendations that have had a real-world impact on policy formulation and implementation.
Yesterday, delivering remarks during a high-level Ministerial Roundtable session on “The Centrality of Data,” Dr Gina emphasised the critical role of infrastructure, policy, and collaboration in ensuring Africa’s control over its digital future.
“Data is central to the functioning of eLearning platforms,” Dr Gina stated. “Other underlying technologies and infrastructure are crucial, such as cloud computing, large data storage infrastructure, AI and machine learning, mixed reality and digital twins, and cybersecurity and blockchain. For sovereignty, the African continent needs to build its digital capabilities in these areas”.
She further shared South Africa’s unique strategy to build foundational digital capacity, which is supported by research platforms such as the Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR), and initiatives like the SA Connect Project, the National Digital and Future Skills Strategy, and the Data-Driven Districts (DDD) Programme, which already provides real-time data to over 22,000 schools.
Dr Gina also addressed the importance of emerging technologies in education, such as the use of blockchain in the education space. Blockchain technology is being increasingly adopted for academic credentials verification by creating records, such as academic transcripts and credentials, on a blockchain, she said.
South Africa, she noted, is actively supporting initiatives. One of them is the South African National Blockchain Alliance (SANBA). This collaborative platform brings together government, industry, and academia to pilot innovative data-enabled solutions in education and beyond.
Reaffirming South Africa’s commitment to continental priorities, Dr Gina encouraged support for the African Union's Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA 2034). She highlighted that South Africa is actively contributing to these strategies, underscoring the country's leadership in the region.
“It is indeed our collective responsibility as Africans to ensure that the strategy is realised by allocating financial resources and other forms of support”.
The Deputy Minister’s presence in Tanzania is a testament to South Africa’s leadership in science diplomacy and its commitment to building digital resilience and educational innovation across the continent. Her participation in this event is of great importance and signifies South Africa's active role in shaping the future of education in Africa.
“The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation of South Africa is fully committed to supporting African leadership in science, technology and innovation and championing the Pan African agenda through multilateral platforms such as the eLearning Africa Annual Conference and through bilateral platforms with African Union Member states,” she concluded.
In addition to her conference participation, Dr Gina will today meet with Professor Adolf Mkenda, Tanzania’s Minister of Education, Science and Technology, to deepen bilateral cooperation. This follows a successful ministerial engagement between South Africa and Tanzania in October 2024, focusing on expanding collaboration in STI, primarily through research partnerships, emerging technologies, and Indigenous Knowledge Systems.
Dr Gina is also scheduled to meet with Zimbabwe’s Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Frederick Makamure.
For more information, please contact
Veronica Mohapeloa
Cell: 083 400 5750
E-mail: veronica.mohapeloa@dsti.gov.za
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