Education Technology Specialist

Digital tools in learning

What this life looks like

You harness technology to make learning better. Education Technology (EdTech) Specialists design, implement, and evaluate the use of technology in education — from tablets in classrooms to adaptive learning platforms, online curriculum delivery, and digital teacher training tools. As Africa's digital infrastructure expands rapidly, the potential for technology to reach learners who cannot access quality education through traditional means is extraordinary.

What she actually does

You assess the technological readiness of schools and education systems, select and pilot appropriate educational technologies, train teachers to use technology effectively in the classroom, evaluate the impact of technology on learning outcomes, manage digital learning platforms and content, design blended learning programmes, troubleshoot technical problems, and advise governments and NGOs on EdTech strategy.

Where you can work

Sector	Places in Africa
EdTech Companies	uLesson (Nigeria), Eneza Education (Kenya), eLimu (Kenya), Snapplify (SA), M-Shule (Kenya)
Government Education	National departments of education ICT in education units, state education technology agencies
NGO & Development	UNICEF digital learning, USAID EdTech programmes, EdTech Hub, World Bank Education Technology
Schools & Universities	School and university ICT in education management roles — integrating technology into teaching and learning

Why it matters in Africa

Africa has over 600 million mobile phone users and rapidly expanding internet connectivity. EdTech companies — uLesson, Eneza Education, Ulesson, MoMo Learning — are building African learning products for millions of students. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital learning adoption across the continent. But technology without pedagogical expertise is useless: EdTech specialists who understand both technology and African education contexts are essential.

Your pathway in

Study Education Technology, Computer Science, or Education with strong digital skills
Develop expertise in Learning Management Systems (Moodle, Canvas, Google Classroom), adaptive learning platforms, and educational content production
Build understanding of both technology AND pedagogy — the most common failure in EdTech is technology deployed without educational purpose
Connect with the African EdTech ecosystem: GSMA Connected Learning, EdTech Hub, and the World Bank's Technology in Education programmes
Develop M&E skills — measuring whether technology actually improves learning outcomes is essential and often neglected

Skills you will need

Learning Management Systems (Moodle, Canvas)
Educational content design
Teacher technology training
Data analysis and learning analytics
Digital equity understanding
EdTech evaluation

A woman in this field

Honey Ogundeyi

Nigeria

Honey is a prominent tech entrepreneur and the founder of Edukoya, an innovative African EdTech startup designed to provide high-quality, personalized learning and exam preparation for students. With extensive background across telecommunications, brand management, and digital technology, she pivoted to education to tackle learning gaps on the continent. Under her leadership, the platform secured one of the largest pre-seed funding rounds for an African female-led EdTech startup, developing localized question banks, step-by-step video tutorials, and performance-tracking features that empower students to excel academically.

Research EdTech Hub at edtechhub.org — it is the world's best resource for evidence on what educational technology actually works in low-income countries, with major focus on Africa
Explore uLesson and Eneza Education to understand how African EdTech companies are approaching learning delivery — use the products yourself to understand their design
Study the Google for Education and Microsoft Education programmes — both run significant school technology programmes across Africa and offer teacher training resources
Complete Google's free Educator certification programme — it demonstrates digital teaching competency and is widely recognised across African school systems