How To Start a SchoolNet

This resource is aimed at people developing and building a network of learners, and will take you through the process of starting a SchoolNet in Africa.

 

What is a SchoolNet?

Although the table below describes a SchoolNet organization, it also provides

insight into what school networking means. We see that there should be:

• Regular communication and interaction between schools;
• Training of teachers and learners in using the technologies;
• Inter-school collaborative projects; and
• Content and curriculum development and sharing.

Structure	Services	Sustainability
Establishment and ongoing operation of a school networking institution/ organization. Minimum of five schools in regular communication and interaction on learning initiatives using information and communications media and technologies	Computer distribution and connectivity services offered by the SchoolNet institution. Inter-school networking and collaborative projects using the broad array of information and communication technologies (ICT). Content and curriculum development and sharing. Teacher training in ICT use to enhance teaching.	Year-on-year growth of the country SchoolNet initiative Financial sustainability increases from year to year with less reliance on external resources/funding. Steady year-on-year increase in human resource capacity with less reliance on external resources. Year-on-year consolidation of partnerships.

Source: www.schoolnetafrica.net

 

Thus, school networking is concerned not only with availability of ICT in schools, but also use of this technology as a means of encouraging schools to work together to improve schooling opportunities across the African continent. This includes use of ICT within the classroom and for administrative and management purposes. School networking encompasses more than introduction of computers into schools (although this is an important activity), since it implies that schools gain the ability to work together and share resources, thus becoming more effective.

 

Starting a national SchoolNet

The process of starting a SchoolNet in Africa often begins outside of the official structures and organizations in a country. In many cases, the SchoolNet has been initiated by volunteers working in NGOs. In the absence of any organized initiative from government, the following are important steps in starting a national SchoolNet in an African context.

1. A dedicated champion or champions

There has to be someone who drives the start-up process in a dedicated way.

This has worked in a number of countries. Usually, it is one person who decides to take the initiative to start the process and to see though the start-up phase. This dedicated champion or champions will have to take charge of the remaining steps.

2. Identify what exactly you want to do and where you want to start

It is often useful to identify at the outset which schools you are targeting, how you will access computers for those schools, how you will train teachers, and how you will develop collaborative projects.

Often, it is wise to choose two or three key projects that you can develop and promote to kickstart the SchoolNet.

You have to know how you are going to:

• Select the schools
• Select teachers to be involved
• Select learners to be involved
• Access resources for the involvement of schools, teachers, and learners.

You will need to be able to justify your choices in each of these cases to ensure that you are not perceived to be favouring one sector within the education  system.

3.Get buy-in from key stakeholders

Once you have identified more or less what you want to do and how you are going to do it, it is vital that you encourage the following stakeholder communities to support your initiative:

School Communities

This is perhaps the most important stakeholder group for you to lobby support  from. Here, involving principals, teachers, and learners from a few strategically selected schools will be vital.

Government:

Getting the from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Telecommunications, Ministry of Science and Technology, and Ministry of Trade and Industry is very important. It is critical to know who the right person is to speak to in these ministries.

Private Sector

Getting support from Internet Service Providers in your country by encouraging them to support Internet connectivity in schools is important. It may also be useful to get support from local and international ICT companies, where they may have a presence in your country. Telecommunication companies, television companies, radio stations… these are all companies whose support should be lobbied. Finally, getting support from local cyber cafes has also been tried in some countries.

Community Organizations and other NGOs

 

• Teacher organizations or trade unions
• Student organizations
• Parent bodies; and
• ICT-type NGOs working in your country.

International Organizations

There are different organizations on which you can draw for support internationally.

Examples include:

• ChildNet International
• International Education and Resources Network (I-EARN)
• SchoolNet Africa
• World Links Organization
• Global Teenager Project of the International Institute for Communication and Development
• The Imfundo Project.

The SchoolNet Africa website has information on all of the above organizations.

4. Call a stakeholders meeting

In some cases, like in Kenya, our colleagues called a stakeholders meeting of all of the key players in the area in order to discuss a few ideas on setting up a SchoolNet. In taking this route however, you will have to have done a lot of ground work in lobbying support, getting buy-in, and thinking through ideas which  will make the SchoolNet initiative grow. Sometimes preparatory work involves doing a scan of all organizations and groups already working in the area of  ICTs in schools in your country. This is called an Environmental Scan.

5. Develop a business and strategic plan

Developing a plan that guides work for at least the first three years is absolutely essential. Such a plan has to bear in mind the vision of the SchoolNet initiative and the mission of the SchoolNet organization. The vision is often a long-term view of what it is the SchoolNet initiative is striving for. The mission is the way in which the SchoolNet organization will achieve the vision.

In drawing up a business plan, consideration should be given to:

1. What will be the first few pilot projects that will start the organization?
2. How you will start these projects?
3. How you will raise funds to start these projects?
4. Who will be your key partners in the projects?
5. What kind of organization are you going to set up?

 

• ALN Business plan

Here are some examples of general business plans

• Mission Planning Business Planning Toolkit - Provides tools and techniques necessary to prepare strategic plans.
• How to do a business plan

 

Things to know about drawing up SchoolNet business plan

A business plan is essential.

• It is not a blueprint.
• It is an important guiding document which you can consult from time to time.
• It has to try to state clearly what you will do in the three years of start up, and what you will have achieved after three years.

Institutional options for SchoolNet start-ups

When setting up a SchoolNet, you have the following institutional options.

You could:

1. Set up a project in a university or tertiary institution as an in-house project
2. Start an independent Non Government Organization (NGO);
3. Start it as an in-house project in a Minstry of Education (if you have sufficient buy-in from the Ministry); or
4. Set it up as a non-profit arm of an existing Internet Service Provider (ISP) or small enterprise. Alao see Community-based Telecentres.