Education
Sustainable EdTech and the Environment: What We Can Do Now
While climate change has been at the forefront of global discussions recently, the conversations around sustainable edtech are not mainstream. Nonetheless, the effects of climate change can have a direct impact on education and need more attention in the education sector.
Concern Worldwide US describes climate change as one of the biggest threats to education. It is an apt description because extreme weather conditions result in the destruction of school buildings and other infrastructures that the school system relies on.
Even when schools are not directly affected by extreme weather conditions, school buildings are still useful for housing others displaced by these weather conditions. Also, the impact of climate change on a family’s disposable income hampers the parents’ ability to afford an education for their children.
Hence, the Climate Risk Index Report by UNICEF asserted that the climate crisis is beyond an environmental issue but also a child’s rights crisis, as children are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change in society.
In view of the impact of climate change on education, it is imperative that we take a cursory look at climate change from the standpoint of education, technology, and sustainability.
Exploring the Environmental Footprint of Sustainable EdTech
With the climate change discourse in full gear, industries have taken a closer look at their contributions to the global climate crisis. The digital technology industry, of which the edtech space is a subset, is proffering solutions to the global climate crisis.
With digital technology having the capacity to reduce about 15 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, the World Economic Forum argues that the sector wields the most power to stabilize the temperatures around the globe.
A glance at the edtech space shows that edtech companies are not only bringing energy-saving software to schools but also introducing other cutting-edge learning and teaching enablements that ensure that students and educators stay in touch and perform school tasks from wherever they are. Hence, they are cutting down on the use of gas, which translates to the reduction of emissions.
However, not all edtech solutions are sustainable, which brings us to the issue of sustainable edtech. Schools and other educational institutions need to reassess the energy efficiency of their ICT units and understand the ratio of emissions generated for every student. In making buying decisions, schools should opt for sustainability in edtech solutions.
On the part of edtech companies, it is only imperative that sustainability becomes a major concern. Edtechs can achieve sustainability by reducing the consumption of energy to its barest minimum, using eco-friendly edtech solutions, and ensuring proper disposal of e-waste.
Sustainable EdTech and Reduction of Carbon Emissions in Education in Africa
According to Statista, the African continent has cumulatively emitted 48 billion metric tons of carbon between 1884 and 2020. While it is the lowest in comparison to other continents of the world, it still points to the need for reduced carbon emissions to save the planet.
Leveraging green edtech in schools across the continent wields power to reduce carbon emissions. Hence, edtech companies can use one stone to kill two birds – enhancing the quality of education while reducing the impact on the environment.
Implementing Green EdTech for Students and Educators
Schools that switch from a paper-based storage system to cloud-based storage with the use of sustainable education technology will cut their energy consumption drastically. By utilizing education technology, schools can cut down on paper-based learning, embrace online learning, and communicate with parents and other stakeholders through electronic devices.
They can also save time and energy spent while commuting. Google Meet, Zoom, and other video conferencing tools help to achieve communication between students and education without jeopardizing the face-to-face experience with in-person meetings.
Also, educators can redirect the funds saved on paper into further enriching the learning experience of students, which will, in turn, enhance the overall performance of students in the school.
Apart from facilitating school processes, it will serve as a vital learning curve for students, especially about the global climate crisis and the need to conserve energy. Students can learn valuable lessons about the impact of their actions and use of resources on the environment
Best Practices for Sustainable EdTech
The increased use of technology in education comes with an associated increased exposure to security threats. However, cybersecurity tools are rising to the occasion and helping schools navigate these issues. Hence, a sustainable edtech solution will take cybersecurity seriously and stay up-to-date with its cybersecurity protection.
Edtechs can also leverage artificial intelligence in the bid to remain sustainable and combat climate change. While AI can be used in edtech solutions to create personalized learning for students, it can also come in handy for helping a school gain green status. Integrating AI into edtech solutions can help schools and other educational institutions keep track of their carbon emissions and find ways to cut down on these emissions from power plants, etc.
In making edtech more sustainable, edtech solutions embracing augmented and virtual reality will give students a learning experience that does not take them outside the school walls. Hence, the school can conserve energy and reduce its carbon footprint.
Envisioning the Future of Sustainable EdTech in Africa
The future unicorns of the edtech space in Africa will be the ones that have moved beyond edtech to sustainable edtech. Indeed, climate change is a real-world problem, and edtechs also have a role to play in the grand scheme of things.
In Africa, the consequences of climate change are direr. According to the African Development Bank report, the continent is the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, even though its emissions are the lowest. Hence, tackling climate change with edtech tools will give birth to more market opportunities in the continent.
With the increasing number of edtechs in Africa, especially the edtech in Nigeria, it is only reasonable that edtech companies transition fully into sustainable education technology, combat climate change and help drive the continent closer to achieving its sustainable development goals.
Schools in Nigeria can start by adopting a sustainable school management system in Nigeria. Doing so will reduce carbon emissions while improving collaboration among all stakeholders.
Realistically, the edtechs in Africa cannot achieve sustainability overnight. The industry is already dealing with the challenges of being innovative in a rapidly changing environment fraught with infrastructural and governmental issues. However, sustainability is the future of education technology in Nigeria and the next big thing for edtech companies.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has denied reaching an agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to avert the industrial action threatened by the lecturers.
The Minister of Education, Mr Tunji Alausa, told journalists in Abuja, on Thursday, that all the claimed agreements by ASUU were just a proposal contained in the draft agreement.
He said: “I read some reports in the media on Thursday indicating that we have a meeting with ASUU. That was not correct. Rather, we had an expanded meeting with relevant stakeholders to review the content of the draft agreement.
“At the end of the day, we set up a committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, to make a counter proposal to ASUU detailing what the government can offer.
“The committee is expected to go through the content of ASUU demands, line by line, and make a proposal to ASUU. Afterwards, the proposal will be sent to the Yayale Ahmed led committee for onward presentation to ASUU.
“But it’s important for Nigerians to know that the government has no signed agreement with ASUU. All we had over the years was a draft agreement that was not signed,” he clarified.
Earlier, ASUU stated it would not participate in the eagerly anticipated meeting with the federal government to finalise the 2009 agreement with the union.
The 2009 agreement remains the touchstone of the dispute, signed under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, which promised comprehensive reforms to Nigeria’s public universities, including sustained revitalisation funding, institutional autonomy, a negotiated salary and conditions package for academics, and a monitoring framework for implementation.
The high-stakes meeting was to make a counter offer to the university teachers in a bid to turn years of stalled renegotiations into concrete and implementable commitments.
Warnings from ASUU branches have emerged nationwide that their patience is exhausted, after a renegotiation process concluded in December 2024 and formally submitted to government in February 2025.
Union leaders insist that the draft must now be signed and implemented to avert another nationwide shutdown of public universities.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The deadline for entries for the 2025 Maltina Teacher of the Year competition has been extended to Friday, September 5 from Friday, August 22, a statement from the organisers has revealed.
The prestigious event, organised by Nigerian Breweries Plc, is used to celebrate teachers from across the country.
Now in its 11th edition, the Maltina Teacher of the Year award has become a coveted prize for the teaching industry in Nigeria.
The Corporate Affairs Director for Nigerian Breweries, Mr Uzodinma Odenigbo, explained that the decision to extend the deadline by two weeks was in response to requests from teachers who asked for additional time to complete their submissions.
“We’ve received significant interest from teachers across the country who requested more time to prepare and submit their entries. This extension is to ensure that as many deserving teachers as possible can participate,” Mr Odenigbo said.
“The 11th edition of the Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative is open to all secondary school teachers currently teaching in Nigeria. The competition remains an effective intervention program geared towards giving pride to the teaching profession and improving the education sector in Nigeria as a whole,” he added.
Mr Odenigbo noted that eligible teachers interested in taking part in the competition are to log on to www.maltinateacheroftheyear.com to complete their application online. Alternatively, they can download the form and send the completed form via email to maltinateacheroftheyear@heineken.com.
He reiterated the commitment of the company to rewarding teachers, stating that the overall winner for the competition would receive a trophy, a total cash prize of N10 million, a capacity development training abroad, and a school infrastructure project worth N30 million in his/her school.
“The first runner-up of the competition will equally receive a trophy and a sum of N5 million, while the second runner-up receives a trophy and N3 million. All state champions will be rewarded with recognition plaques and a cash prize of N1 million each,” he added.
The Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative was established in 2015 and is funded through the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund, which was set up in 1994 to facilitate an active contribution to the development of the education sector in Nigeria in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 4.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A mobile platform tailored to transforms the way people learn to code by combining interactive challenges and real-time AI-powered feedback has been launched.
The application, Efiwe, a mobile-first and AI-driven platform that allows anyone to master coding directly from a smartphone, was created to make coding accessible to all
It offers comprehensive training in HTML through hundreds of structured challenges, with CSS and JavaScript set to follow soon.
The platform, launched on Saturday, August 16, 2025, is embedded with an adaptive AI tutor, which analyses learner’s progress, prioritises errors, predicts helpful hints, and adjusts the pace of lessons. The AI doesn’t just point out mistakes, it personalises the journey, ensuring that each learner is challenged but never overwhelmed.
According to the founder of Efiwe, Mr Chidi Nwaogu, the platform was borne out of a clear signal of the urgent global demand for more inclusive and accessible coding education.
He said through Efiwe, learners can be guided step by step to build a professional website from scratch, moving from a blank page to a polished project without the need for a computer or additional software, noting that by focusing on mobile accessibility, Efiwe ensures that coding education is no longer limited by device or geography.
The platform’s offline capability, powered by lightweight on-device AI models, is one of its most groundbreaking features. Once loaded, Efiwe can function without an internet connection, allowing learners in regions with limited or expensive connectivity to continue their coding journey uninterrupted. Its multilingual support in 33 languages further broadens accessibility, making it a truly global solution.
“We believe coding education should be fun, accessible, and effective — and that’s what Efiwe delivers.
“With over 33 languages available and a fully offline mode, we are breaking down barriers and giving people from all backgrounds the chance to learn how to code. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an aspiring developer, Efiwe is here to help you grow,” Mr Nwaogu stated.
“Efiwe is built on the belief that anyone, anywhere, should be able to start their coding journey. By making it mobile-first and offline-ready, we’re especially empowering learners in regions where internet access is limited or costly. Efiwe is proof that technology can bridge the global digital divide,” he added.
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