Learning Meets Tech: Mastercard Foundation Hosts Innovative EdTech Conference

The first-ever EdTech Conference will occur from July 8–10, 2024, at the Mastercard Foundation’s Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning. It will be an annual conference gathering. It is being held this year at the Hilton Transcorp in Abuja, Nigeria, in collaboration with the Nigerian federal government.

The 2024 Mastercard Foundation EdTech Conference’s subject, “Education Technology for Resilient and Inclusive Learning in Africa”, is in keeping with the African Union’s Year of Education.

Read also: Insights from the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship

The discussion will centre on the current state of the EdTech ecosystem, emerging trends, the role of EdTech in solving Africa’s educational challenges and policies that are needed to foster an enabling environment for technology-enabled innovation in education.

Transforming Africa’s Education Ecosystem

Reeta Roy, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation stated that technology is a potent enabler of opportunity and advancement. Young entrepreneurs and innovators are reviving the education industry with fresh ideas and energy all over Africa. A few breakthroughs can potentially change ecosystems and countless people’s futures.

This first conference aims to accelerate the development of digitally connected educational platforms and systems that provide accessible learning opportunities for everyone. Participants include young people, EdTech entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, donors, data scientists, and many others.

It is anticipated that members of the EdTech ecosystem operating at the intersection of ICT and education from all over the continent will exchange knowledge on workable strategies to expand access to high-quality education for all in Africa.

The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Conference aims to transform Africa’s education ecosystem by investing in home-grown innovative solutions to bridge access and learning gaps, highlighting the role of technology in catalysing transformation.

Read also: Mastercard-AfDB Digital Economy Alliance to boost African digital access

About the Mastercard Foundation

One of the most significant foundations worldwide is the Mastercard Foundation, a registered charity in Canada. It collaborates with forward-thinking organisations to promote financial inclusion and education so that young people in Canada’s Indigenous communities and Africa can find respectable and meaningful employment.

Established in 2006 by Mastercard’s kind generosity upon the company’s going public, the Foundation operates independently of the business and has offices in Toronto, Kigali, Accra, Nairobi, Kampala, Lagos, Dakar, and Addis Ababa.

The Foundation’s Board of Directors and leadership make decisions on its policies, operations, and programmes.

The Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning promotes technology-driven education, focusing on underserved communities. It collaborates with various stakeholders to integrate technology into education, fostering innovative EdTech innovations and enhancing learning.