E-Business

Key Takeaways from BETT MEA & Turkey Leadership Forum 2016

Published

8 years ago

April 29, 2016

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Education and policy leaders drawn from Middle East, Africa and Turkey, recently, met at the inaugural BETT Middle East Leadership Forum held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates with the sole aim of achieving best practice guidance for (education) successful system change.

The 2-day Forum was unique in many ways, networking opportunities and inspiration from the world of education, especially, following world class contents shared by Microsoft Worldwide Education (MWE), the principal partners to #BETT_MiddleEast.

The thinking revolves round adopting technology to help improve education and learning, create opportunity, and raise living standards for people around the world, particularly in Middle East, Africa and Turkey.

Meanwhile, the African-America Institute “State of Education in Africa Report 2015” supports United Nation’s statistics which shows: “The Africa region has experienced an impressive increase in the number of students enrolled in primary school. Between 1990 and 2012, the number of children enrolled in primary schools more than doubled, from 62 million to 149 million children.

Unfortunately and “despite tremendous gains in primary school enrollment, no African country has achieved universal primary education.

“For a country to achieve universal primary education, all children must have completed a full course of primary schooling.

“Globally, 58 million children of primary school age were out of school in 2012. Of that number, 38 million children were in Africa. About half of all out-of-school African children will never step foot in a school in their lifetime”.

Anthony Salcito, vice president, Education for Microsoft Corporation’s Worldwide Public Sector organization, reminded the delegates, “This is a time in history that is very critical to push hard and drive for innovation and change in schools”. So we need to challenge each other to push harder and faster for the changes needed in the education sector. – See more: http://www.nigeriacommunicationsweek.com.ng/e-guest/tech-ll-fuel-changes-in-mea-education-sector-salcito#sthash.eGe61uhR.dpuf.

On this premise, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek key takeways from the Forum, are essentially summarized in Microsoft Education Framework christened “Ten Critical Components of School Transformation” (www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/school-leaders).

This decision was informed by Salcito’s presentation, who unequivocally, urged leaders from these regions to embrace the ten components of transformation that fall into two categories, relying squarely on Leadership and policy. The rest point at enhancing 21st century pedagogy

Feeling more educated on digitalizing education contents and localizing same, Mohammed Mahmud, a member of the Nigerian Parliament, even said, “What we learnt here are eye opening and impactful; as we return home (Nigeria), I will put up a team to assess how we can localize some of the things we learnt here. Truly and as advised by one of the speakers, we may not be able to do everything same time, but we will be doing ourselves a disservice if we don’t act now.

Leadership & Policy:

1.Establishing A Vision
2.Microsoft drums it loud that before school systems can embark on change they need a clear vision. Why? Defining one is complex because it touches on the perception, attitudes and everyday work of multiple stakeholders; involves the reallocation of fiscal and cultural resources; and disturbs the status quo. Thus, thrust of this anchores on helping policy leaders with examples from successful systems, and best practice to develop a cycle that includes a vision, strategic planning, implementation, and reflections on progress.

2. Partnerships and Capacity Building for Change
Microsoft’s message is that a public-private education partnership has the potential to be a significant catalyst for systemic change. This was even put forward by AAI, among other things, “Completing primary education helps to lay the foundation for building a skilled and better-educated workforce in Africa.

3. Organizational Capacity, Strategic Planning and Quality Assurance
A successful change strategy requires professional development, feedback and support for teachers along with a well-researched monitoring and evaluation system.

Professor Kate Omenugha, commissioner for Education, Anambra State, Nigeria nods in agreement to the aforementioned thus, “Coming back to ICT and looking at the curriculum in Nigeria, you need to start ICT teaching and learning, from the primary school…So the first thing was to demystify the new teaching tool for them. The past administration keyed into the Microsoft Academy which Anambra State is one of the 42 places across the globe where the Academy is being used. What does that mean to us? We have access to training facilities and certification of our teachers”.

4. Inclusion, Accessibility and Sustainability
Microsoft points to a direction that a commitment to personalized learning includes providing technology solutions that empower all students. We dare to say that for Africa to achieve the goal of raising globally competitive students, there is urgent need to personalized system of learning”. As Salcito said, this approach helps to build innovation, confident level & critical thinking of a child, and pays off in way of skill sets to meet challenges in today’s workplace.

21st Century Pedagogy
5. Personalized Learning
Personalized learning has the potential to overcome socio-economic, time and space limitations and maximize educational opportunities Clear guidelines from UNESCO present a roadmap towards individualized education.
UNESCO highlighted that “‘one size fits all’ approach to acquiring knowledge in today’s educational institutions does not successfully meet the needs of individuals of a knowledge society…”

6. Teacher and Leader Capacity
The need for “Building teacher and leader capacity is vital to successful transformation”, cannot be over emphasized.

7. Curriculum and Assessment
Responsive and creative use of technology is a powerful way to improve curriculum and assessment outcomes for students. For instance, exploring the allure of computer gaming makes learning fun.

“Educational games may be able to help circumvent major problems plaguing classrooms by placing students in a frame of mind that is conducive to learning rather than worrying about how smart they look,” said Paul O’Keefe, an NYU postdoctoral fellow at the time of the study and now at Stanford University’s Department of Psychology. It is imperatives that curriculum in the Nigeria’s education system be re-assessed to create room for digitization of the necessary areas.

8. Developing A Learning Community
A community of practice can provide a structure for fostering growth and development amongst peers to enhance learning goals.

9. Physical Learning Environments
The Microsoft Education Framework also contains the fact that anytime, anywhere virtual learning spaces are the manifestation of the connections that are redefining the 21st century school-community dynamics.

Thus, from whole-of-school transformation to mobile and smart learning solutions, these technology-enabled environments cultivate innovative learning and bring together all stakeholders in the building of a single ‘mega-learning space’.

10. Designing Technology for Effective And Efficient Schools
Combining cloud solutions that manage infrastructure with services and learning allows schools to operate more effectively.

Microsoft promised that not only does the technology they have support the running of a school, it also maximizes the potential of all students.

Thus, by unlocking and understanding student data educators can solve critical teaching challenges, improving learning outcomes and graduation rates. Reference: microsoft.com/en-us/education/school-leaders/school-systems-planning/components.aspx

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E-Business

Hydrogen Hosts Catalyst Workshop, Highlights Resilient Business Models for Fintech Startups

Published

5 mins ago

April 25, 2024

Chike Onwuegbuchi

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As part of its mission to empower African businesses with tools needed to thrive, garner admiration, and foster global acclaim, leading payment solution company, Hydrogen Payment Services Company Limited (Hydrogen), recently partnered with the Co Creation Hub (CcHub), to host the latest edition of the Catalyst workshop in Lagos.

The discourse addressed the potential risks and opportunities for startups and saw experts advise participants on the need to develop resilient business models that would scale across different economic climes.

Moderated by Miracle Ezechi, Digital Marketing Manager, Hydrogen, the panel session addressed dominant issues about the theme: ‘Adapting Fintech Business Models to Economic Climes: Flexibility, Agility and Customer-centricity’.

Mr. Emeka Awagu, Chief Technology Officer, Hydrogen, who spoke as a panellist, addressed the issue of customer-centricity, which according to him, is key to Fintech growth.

He advised startups to listen to customer demands and understand their needs in order to develop the right solutions that will lead to long term market viability.

“Innovation is key for startup growth. However, understanding customers’ needs and change in behaviour will help any startup to innovate better.

“Startups must be flexible and agile to develop solutions with high interoperability and processing speed, and they must be ready to learn from startups that have failed,” Awagu said.

With an estimated 61.07 percent of startups failing, the participants stressed the need for prudence.

“Statistically, a staggering number of startups fail, often due to financial mismanagement. Hence, founders must prioritise understanding and maintaining a healthy the Cost-to-Earnings ratio.

“It is not just a number, but a pivotal indicator of a company’s financial health as well as being a key attractiveness determinant for investors,” Awagu added.

On his part, Ina Alogwu, the Group Director, Digital Transformation, ARM HOLDCO, who also spoke as a panellist at the session, stressed the need for startups to develop sustainable products and solutions that will help them remain competitive in an environment that is faced with harsh economic realities.

“Many startup businesses fail within their first five years, however upcoming startups should not be discouraged, rather develop a culture that will encourage them to understand the reasons for failure and learn from mistakes.

“Startups should not be too rigid with their solutions and should be ready to accept changes that will drive innovation,” Alogwu stated.

Hydrogen will be deepening its economic impact series with a webinar planned for Thursday, April 25, even as businesses across Africa continue to face an array of challenges, ranging from inflation and currency fluctuations to rising operating costs.

Themed ‘Navigating Economic Challenges: Strategies for Sustainable Growth,’ the webinar will delve into key areas critical for businesses to not only survive but thrive in the face of economic adversity. Register using this link – https://bit.ly/Hydrogenwebinar.

Esteemed panellists for this event include Taofik Odukoya, CEO, Vanguard Pharmacy, and Okechukwu Odimgbe, Chief Financial Officer, Hydrogen. The session will be moderated by Nnenna Sam-Obioha, Ecosystem Orchestrator, Hydrogen.

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E-Business

Dexude Secures Funding to Revolutionize Education in Nigeria, Beyond

Published

16 hours ago

April 24, 2024

Comms Week

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Dexude, a leading edtech platform with operations in Nigeria, has announced that it has been awarded the prestigious Business Finland TEMPO funding.

Charles Emembolu, founder of Dexude,

This significant funding injection marks a pivotal moment in Dexude’s journey towards transforming education through its AI-powered, live-first, expert-led, and community-driven platform.

The Business Finland TEMPO funding is specifically designed to support startups and SMEs aiming for international growth by building their expertise and solutions into international success stories in innovative ways.

Dexude’s commitment to innovation, coupled with its vision to enable a billion learners worldwide, aligns perfectly with the objectives of the TEMPO funding.

Commenting on this milestone achievement, Charles Emembolu, founder of Dexude, remarked, “We are incredibly honored and excited to receive the Business Finland TEMPO funding. This funding is not only a validation of Dexude’s mission to reinvent education but also a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team. With this support, we are poised to accelerate our efforts in democratizing access to quality education and empowering learners across Nigeria and beyond.”

L-r; Kelvin Chikezie, co-founder of Dexude; Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General/CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA); and Charles Emembolu, founder of Dexude

Kelvin Chikezie, co-founder of Dexude, added, “Securing the Business Finland TEMPO funding is a significant milestone for Dexude. It underscores our commitment to leveraging technology and innovation to revolutionize the way people learn and grow. We are grateful to Business Finland for believing in our vision, and we are excited to embark on this next chapter of Dexude’s journey.”

Dexude is on a mission to redefine education by providing learners with access to influential experts and thought leaders, live interactions, and a vibrant community-driven learning experience.

Through its platform, Dexude aims to break down barriers to learning and empower individuals to pursue their passions and unlock their full potential.

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E-Business

SOPHiA GENETICS Announces Syndicate Bio as First Liquid Biopsy Customer in Africa

Published

1 day ago

April 24, 2024

Chike Onwuegbuchi

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SOPHiA GENETICS, a cloud-native software company in the healthcare space and a leader in data-driven medicine, has announced that Nigeria-based Syndicate Bio has signed on to implement MSK-ACCESS® powered with SOPHiA DDM™.

Syndicate Bio is the first lab in Africa to adopt the MSK-ACCESS® assay via the SOPHiA DDM™ Platform, and the first company to make comprehensive genomic profiling and liquid biopsy widely available to patients throughout the entire continent.

The implementation of this new technology will further existing work from SOPHiA GENETICS, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), and Syndicate Bio to advance health equity on a global scale.

There are roughly 1 million new cancer patients each year in Africa and currently, comprehensive genomic profiling and liquid biopsy testing options are not widely available.

This means that patients are forced to forego this testing or travel out of continent for these testing options. Syndicate Bio’s implementation of this new offering will provide cutting-edge liquid biopsy testing to many of these patients and will help progress the company’s goal of advancing genomics and precision medicine in an area of the world that has been historically underserved in these areas.

“Partnering with SOPHiA Genetics to bring MSK-ACCESS® powered with SOPHiA DDM™ to our lab is a monumental step in accelerating the cancer treatment and research landscape across Africa, beginning in Nigeria. Next-generation sequencing technologies in oncology and liquid biopsy, which this collaboration enables, hold the potential for creating a leapfrogging opportunity in the oncology treatment and research landscape in Africa,” said Abasi Ene-Obong, PhD., Founder, Syndicate Bio.

“Through this collaboration, we aim to enable the widespread application of precision medicine in oncology across Africa, and thus contributing to the improvement of patient outcomes across the African continent.

“We believe our scientific expertise, combined with AI-enabled technologies and data-driven solutions enabled by SOPHiA GENETICS, presents a unique opportunity to fundamentally transform the journey of cancer patients through non-invasive cancer analysis, predictive genetic testing, and effective precision medicine.”

Syndicate Bio is driving genomics and precision medicine initiatives across the world’s most diverse regions through large-scale partnerships with governments, industry, and other stakeholders. Through its work, Syndicate Bio is making local impact while accelerating drug discovery and development.

By focusing on Africa, Syndicate Bio is poised to make a significant impact, starting with Nigeria, by introducing its pioneering clinical oncology offerings in an underserved region.

Through this endeavor, Syndicate Bio aims to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment for African patients. This initiative not only facilitates local next-generation sequencing (NGS) testing and liquid biopsy testing but also extends access to clinical trial participation, empowering patients and healthcare providers alike.

MSK-ACCESS® powered with SOPHiA DDM™ is a decentralized version of a highly validated ctDNA test developed by MSK that involves the deep sequencing of 146 key cancer-associated genes, and will augment Syndicate Bio’s tumor profiling capabilities, allowing them to utilize a small blood sample to generate a comprehensive report in an efficient and expedited time frame.

The use of liquid biopsy is less invasive than traditional biopsy, and can help simplify patient monitoring, whilst driving the uptake of precision medicine.

The offering combines the sophisticated analytics, state-of-the-art algorithms, and decentralized, cloud-based offerings of the SOPHiA DDM™ Platform, with the scientific and clinical expertise of MSK in cancer genomics to provide a best-in-class liquid biopsy solution.

“In our mission to democratize data-driven medicine, our decentralized global network and unique set of partnerships enable us to help reach underserved populations, just as those that are served by Syndicate Bio,” said Philippe Menu, MD, PhD., Chief Medical Officer, SOPHiA GENETICS.

“By implementing this solution, Syndicate Bio will make a measurable impact throughout Africa, while also helping to generate an unparalleled and comprehensive dataset and provide invaluable insights and knowledge to shape the future of global healthcare.”

In late 2023, SOPHiA GENETICS and MSK announced they are working in partnership with AstraZeneca to bring the world-class MSK-ACCESS® powered with SOPHiA DDM™ testing solution to countries and regions around the globe, including underserved areas where access to testing remains scarce.

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