UNESCO-UNICEF Charter Affirms Africa’s Public Digital Learning Leadership

The UNESCO-UNICEF Charter for Public Digital Learning Platforms was presented today by UNICEF, UNESCO, and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) at the OEB Conference in Berlin for public consultation. The Charter establishes a framework that aligns directly with Africa’s drive towards publicly governed digital education infrastructure, prioritising equitable access for all learners.

Developed through the Gateways to Public Digital Learning Initiative with input from 25 countries, including Kenya, Ghana, and Uganda, the Charter advances a compelling proposition: Public Digital Learning Platforms should function as “the public schools of the digital world”—publicly governed, culturally relevant, and accountable to the communities they serve.

The Charter’s release comes as African governments increasingly seek digital learning models that remove barriers to access whilst ensuring financial sustainability.

Continental Alignment

The Charter’s principles—Public, Inclusive, Pedagogical, Complementary, Open, Focussed, and Trustworthy—map directly onto continental frameworks, including the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020-2030), the Continental Education Strategy for Africa, and AUDA-NEPAD’s African EdTech 2030 Vision.

“The Charter articulates what African education systems have been working towards: Digital Platforms governed in the public interest that ensure equitable access,” said John Kimotho, Head of the RESPECTTM Africa Office and a Senior EdTech Consultant. “Its emphasis on public governance, cultural relevance, and  ensuring no learner gets left behind, reflects principles already embedded in continental strategies.”

The “Inclusive” principle addresses Africa’s practical realities: platforms running on low-cost hardware with intermittent connectivity, supporting multiple languages, and reflecting local cultural contexts. The “Complementary” principle positions education platforms as strengthening rather than replacing teachers and physical schools. The “Trusted” principle’s warnings about data extraction resonate with governments implementing the African Union Data Policy Framework’s (2022) emphasis on digital sovereignty.

African Innovation in Practice

Several African countries have already demonstrated the Charter’s principles. Kenya’s Education Cloud, and Ghana’s digital learning initiatives show what publicly governed platforms can achieve. Movements such as Mwanga wa Elimu are galvanising Africa’s EdTech ecosystem around unified digital infrastructure, exemplifying the continental coordination the Charter now recognises as essential.

When platforms use open technical standards, countries reduce costs through collaborative development rather than duplicative procurement.

Growing Momentum

The Charter’s public consultation phase coincides with accelerating international commitment to the African Union Development Agency’s emerging Digital Public Infrastructure for Education (DPI-Ed), a shared, jointly-developed, continental-scale Public Digital Learning Platform. African states are increasingly aligning their national strategies with this continental DPI-Ed, recognising that fragmented approaches cannot deliver impactful learning at scale.

The Charter concludes by stating that Public Digital Learning Platforms are a fundamental part of education infrastructure, equivalent in importance to physical schools. For Africa, where education systems must simultaneously address learning poverty, expand access, and prepare youth for digital economies, this recognition validates the continental approach.

“The Charter provides international validation for what African governments are already building,” Kimotho noted. “We’re demonstrating that a shared, publicly governed platform, designed with African learners’ needs at the centre and structured to be free, can deliver quality digital education serving the public good.”

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