E-Learning In Africa: Massive, Online And Free

Coming to a laptop near you, the Brazilian model of free online learning that could revolutionise African education.

Imagine if instead of paying to attend a university, you could watch lectures, access reading material and interact with other students, all online and for free. This is the idea of a massively open online course (MOOC). 

It is a buzzword in universities and business schools across the world, and African universities and academics are considering how to open up their courses for free online. The African Management Initiative (AMI) has developed Africa's first MOOC, aimed at providing courses in basic management skills.

Launchpad, a pilot involving several hundred people launched in late June in partnership with South Africa's Gordon Institute of Business Science. The AMI will look for funds to develop courses in partnership with Lagos Business School in Nigeria and Strathmore Business School in Nairobi, Kenya...