EdTech could be a major game-changer in the education of girls in culturally conservative countries after the pandemic accelerated innovation in the industry – making access to study increasingly accessible for all.
Despite many advances in the Middle East and North Africa in recent years, gender parity in education is among the worst in the world with adolescent girls 1.5 times more likely to be out of school in lower secondary education and one in five girls married before the age of 18, according to UNICEF.
However, there are signs that cultural norms are changing within this deeply conservative part of the world, and the Kingdom of Bahrain has emerged as a standout model of equality in the classroom, with the pandemic not only triggering a wave of homegrown EdTech start-ups to fill the void left by empty schools, but also bolstering ambitions to roll out greater accessibility to education within the MENA region.
Mohammed Ashoor, Co-founder & CEO of Springring a cloud-based school communication management platform said: “If we look at history, Bahrain has been a pioneer in almost every single industry there is; we had the first airport in the Gulf, we had the first hospital, we had the first school, we had the first bank. So, we’ve pioneered almost every single industry. It’s not surprising therefore that when it comes to female literacy, we’re also ahead.”
With a 95.7 per cent literacy rate – and the highest female literacy rate in the Arabian Peninsula at 93.5 per cent – Bahrain is considered to be one of the more progressive states in the MENA region. In fact, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa recently issued a decree to ensure equal pay in the workplace. Now, with its growing reputation as a start-up sandbox for global innovation, attention is increasingly turning to the possibilities that EdTech platforms can provide the region’s forgotten girls.
Mohammed Ashoor said: “With countries that are ultra-conservative, where some parents might not let their girls go to school or where it’s not always safe for girls to go to school, for example where they can be faced with mass abductions, EdTech allows girls to attend classes from the safety of their homes. So, instead of having kids go and get their education from somewhere, education can come to them.”
Although there are clear challenges in terms of connectivity for EdTech programmes, the potential to exact meaningful change is something that excites Hana Al Tareif, founder of Daresni, a web-based booking platform that bridges the gap between certified tutors and coaches in Bahrain with students.
Hana said: “From Far East Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the United States, each country has deep-rooted cultural norms which may or may not affect the way girls are treated. Of course, most of these deep-rooted cultural norms usually effect females and make it more difficult for them to achieve their dreams.
“EdTech is definitely changing these cultural norms. Where in some countries, schools are segregated or females are not provided with the same resources as boys, EdTech has created platforms to standardise resources to ensure that every student gets an equal shot at educational content and services.
“We have been fortunate in Bahrain to have one of the first policies regarding education for girls in the GCC, and the country continues to promote female education and jobs.”
According to Alpen Capital, the Dubai-based leading investment bank for the GCC and Asia, the total number of students in the GCC alone is projected to reach 14.5 million in 2022. This growing student population along with increasing connectivity gives EdTech companies a significant opportunity for scale and long-term growth in the region.
The surge in online learning during the pandemic has also dramatically accelerated the uptake of EdTech solutions. The Middle East consultancy ValuStrat forecasts the value of the global EdTech market to reach $40 billion by 2022, so education has quickly become a big business.
Hana Al Tareif said: “The EdTech sub-sector is exponentially growing, and it specifically began to boom when COVID-19 hit the globe. We have seen numerous EdTech platforms being launched to service a variety of different learning models and even saw the growth of EdTech gaming platforms to supplement existing academic topics.
“Of course, EdTech provided a door opener to the future of learning, which is non-gender specific and open to all students around the world.
“Not only does EdTech provide access to both genders, but it has definitely seen a positive impact on girls’ education. Participation levels have increased, which could be due to various reasons such as digital sessions being convenient to join at the touch of a button or the non-time-sensitive attendance courses or lessons or the shift towards project-based work instead of supervised tests.
“Additionally, this upward engagement trend has not only increased the number of female students, but it has also created exposure to diverse nationalities, cultures and communities, helping to build the right skills in preparation for future employment.”
For Mohammed Ashoor, it is only a matter of time before advances made in Bahrain regarding gender parity in education become the norm in the wider MENA region, with the pandemic pushing the accelerator button on that time schedule.
He said: “I do think other countries are definitely going to catch up. They’re dealing, obviously, with a bigger population, and sometimes a more diverse one, but I do think there’s a driver of progress within Bahrain.
“We have much fewer resources, money-wise, than other countries, but Bahrain is great because it’s a small country meaning start-ups and bigger corporations can test their products and put them out in the market very quickly here. We also have a very good base of local manpower that is educated and highly skilled.”
With EdTech still in its infancy compared to other digital transformations, the wealth of opportunities open to businesses and potential clients has yet to be fully understood, but the buzz surrounding this potential is huge.
Dalal Buhejji, Executive Director of Business Development Investment Origination at the Bahrain Economic Development Board, says: “COVID has taught us that the way we consume information has changed and now, more than ever, people are investing in continuous learning and learning that is very specific to their needs.
“I’m a big believer in hybrid models, so I foresee Edtech moving in that direction. We will continue to see Edtech companies become more innovative in how they create customised learning experiences, while providing the tools and access that you wouldn’t usually get from the classroom.
“I think it’s a very exciting time to be in Edtech in MENA.”