Across Egypt, Ghana, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe as well as in Malaysia and Uzbekistan a bold reimagining of education is underway. With UNICEF’s support, these six countries are pioneering digital learning innovations to engage students, empower teachers and improve learning outcomes.
Take 12-year-old Prosper Kolesi from Zimbabwe, for example: Like many students worldwide, he struggles to keep up in a one-size-fits-all classroom. “Every child learns at a different pace, but teachers tend to move too fast,” he says. But with new digital tools, he sees a shift: “With Artificial Intelligence, we can now learn on our own, at home or during our free time.”
This is the vision behind UNICEF’s Learning Pioneers Programme (LPP) – a two-year initiative led by the UNICEF Global Learning Innovation Hub. LPP’s “Map, Match, and Make it Happen” approach identifies countries where digital learning can have the most impact, match the countries with safe, impactful EdTech solutions, and test and iterate innovations for real-world scalability.
At eLearning Africa 2025, the Hub will host the session “Architects of the Future of Learning: UNICEF’s Learning Pioneers Programme.” This session will provide an in-depth look at the LPP’s innovative approach in four African countries, including identifying and piloting for scale influential, safe and inclusive EdTech tools using UNICEF’s EdTech for Good Framework as part of UNICEF’s broader EdTech for Good initiative. Participants will hear directly from UNICEF and African Learning Pioneers. These countries will be at the forefront of mapping and testing edtech tools with the potential to be scaled into multiple countries and reach millions.
The session will also feature UNICEF’s partnership with Finland, emphasising the critical role of collaboration between governments, EdTech innovators, academia, and international organisations, and will also cover UNICEF’s latest work on AI-powered, low-cost accessible digital textbooks.
Based in Helsinki, Finland, the UNICEF Global Learning Innovation Hub is driving global efforts to accelerate equitable access to world-class digital learning solutions and convene a global community of visionaries to shape the future of learning. The Hub is driven by a dual mission: To harness innovations to address the learning crisis and to shape the future of learning now.
“We are partnering with national governments and leading edtech innovators to introduce innovative learning experiences to equip children with the skills and knowledge critical to thriving in a rapidly evolving world,” says Frank van Cappelle, Head, UNICEF Global Learning Innovation Hub. He will be leading the Architects of the Future of Learning: UNICEF’s Learning Pioneers Programme session at e-Learning Africa 2025.
Join the Hub at eLearning Africa 2025 and connect with these architects of change. In an era where collaboration is the key to impact, let’s unite, innovate, and co-design the future of learning together.
Contact: learninginnovationhub@unicef.org
