Mesh networks to improve educational outcomes in Mozambique
Could establishing a wireless intranet mesh network in a school in Maputo utilise students’ mobile technology to provide access to digital educational materials and reduce gender inequality in educational outcomes?
LOCATION | Mozambique
SECTOR | Education
TECH | Alternative Internet Connectivity
TIMELINE | February 2018 - January 2019
PIONEERS | Caroline Wood, Emmeline Skinner
PARTNERS | Oxford Policy Management, Champier Ltd.
The Challenge
The lack of access to educational materials, such as lesson places, educational videos and other digital library materials poses a significant challenge for the public education system in Mozambique. The lack of materials hinders the teachers’ ability to educate their students, as well as the students’ ability to supplement their own learning. Existing digital education tools often do not help because they require students to use costly mobile data connections or access the internet. These challenges result in poor educational outcomes, as ⅔ of students leave primary school without basic reading, writing and math skills and a 28% female literacy rate in Mozambique.
The Idea
This pilot installed a wireless mesh network in Lhanguene Secondary School in Maputo, Mozambique to enable teachers and students to access digital education materials and test if this will improve educational outcomes and empower young women. The network would provide access to educational resources at a low cost, allowing content to be accessed without spending money on mobile data.
The Scaling Journey
What we learned
There were many challenges in both user experience and the mesh network system that were not accounted for in the initial needs assessment. We learned that there is no such thing as understanding users too well, and many hidden shortcomings brought to light latent user needs which were crucially important to the success of the pilot.
Students were only engaged with the platform if it was continuously updated, which teachers became weary of providing as the pilot progressed.
Students and teachers were unfamiliar with the technology’s interface, which highlighted the importance of having a simple design and ample training on how to use the tech.
While the technology worked, the school’s infrastructure provided several challenges. Consistent power outages and thick walls that blocked the signal led the teachers and students to be frustrated with the lack of consistent access to the network.
All photos on this page were taken by the pilot’s implementing partners, Oxford Policy Management and Champier Ltd. What happened next?
Once the pilot team recognized that the pilot was not a scalable solution, the team focused their efforts on capturing key learnings and lessons to take forward. A robust final report was published to inform the design and implementation of FTL’s mesh marketplace pilot.
Read more
Explore the step-by-step journey of the pilot – Pilot Story
Read about the pilot’s first phase — “Providing an impulse to teaching and learning in Mozambique, through technology”
Learn about the teacher’s and student’s feedback of the tech — “MUVA Mexe: Supporting teachers and students in the teaching-learning process”
Learn more about the pilot’s challenges and learnings — Mesh School Pilot