Vodafone Foundation unveils Instant Classroom lite platform for schools without electricity and internet access.
In rural areas and refugee camps, students don’t always get firsthand knowledge and resources. Most schools are marginalized by the fact that they don’t receive enough financial assistance from the government and other institutions.
In North Eastern, students went for days without being taught because teachers were not comfortable by the level of security that was deployed by the government. Insecurity made it hard for schools to grow and finish the curriculum on time.
However, companies are coming up with solutions by introducing effective educational tech and resources that are relatively cheap and easy to use. BRCK launched BRCK – Kio which is made up of 40 ruggedized BRCK Kio tablets to be used in less developed schools. The internet connectivity device is made for low infrastructure environments; it has a wireless charging to reduce breakage, and a hardened, waterproof, lockable case for added security. The kit and everything inside it is ruggedized to be both dust and water resistant.
To add on BRCK – Kio, Instant Classroom lite platform by Vodafone is designed for teaching lessons to large class sizes in refugee camps. It includes a server with mobile educational content that teachers can access locally.
Vodafone Foundation Director Andrew Dunnet said: “Instant Classroom Lite builds on our Instant Network Schools programme, which has already provided an internet education to around 60,000 young refugees living in Dadaab Refugee camp.”
Features
The Instant Classroom Lite kit has a projector and audio system, 3G and 4G connectivity and a laptop server preloaded with educational content. It can be powered using a solar panel, a mains socket or a 12V car socket and stays powered for four hours of use.
The equipment can be set up in just 10 minutes and can be easily transported between schools in a refugee settlement.
The foundation has at the same time created an Instant Charge, a durable and portable outdoor mobile charger that can charge 66 devices simultaneously.
“The equipment was developed to support the UN High Commissioner for Refugees work on the shores of Europe where, despite good mobile coverage, there has been limited infrastructure in camps for refugees to charge their phones,” Dunnet said.
