Huawei Launches First African Forum on Inclusive Education: Towards a Digital and Equitable School
How can smart technologies contribute to providing fairer education in Africa? This is the question the first African Forum on Inclusive Education aimed to address, organized by Huawei on the sidelines of the 2025 Global Smart Education Conference held in Beijing from August 18 to 20.
The event brought together education ministers, academic partners, and representatives from several African countries, including Egypt, Algeria, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, and Congo, to explore how digital innovations and artificial intelligence can break down barriers to access education and provide a high-quality learning environment for every student.
Vision: Putting Technology at the Service of Educational Justice
Ye Zhibing, Vice President of Huawei North Africa, stated, “Huawei is committed to mobilizing the latest technologies to design inclusive solutions tailored to the African reality.” His colleague, Peter Chang, noted that the company has already trained more than a million students worldwide through its information and communication technology academies.
The program featured integrated solutions that combined smart classrooms, convenient connectivity, accessible cloud computing devices, and artificial intelligence platforms. Practical demonstrations highlighted the role of the AI-powered digital teacher, capable of personalizing learning and sharing high-quality educational resources.
Strategic Partnerships with Africa
The forum also witnessed the signing of strategic agreements. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a memorandum of understanding was signed to develop university digital infrastructure, establish innovation labs, and enhance teacher skills. In Senegal, a cooperation protocol between Sonatel and Huawei was concluded to equip schools with digital tools, accelerate digitization, and train new talent.
Africa’s Pursuit of an Inclusive Educational Model
Discussions underscored that the lack of educational resources and weak infrastructure continue to hinder equitable access to education on the continent. Huawei proposes addressing these challenges through a comprehensive approach that includes devices and digital connectivity to build more flexible and inclusive educational systems.
During the forum, African delegations visited several sites in China to learn about the practical applications of technology in education, indicating that the future of African schools is now intertwined with innovation, digital technologies, and international cooperation.
