EUP1501
Assignment 2
Due 05 September 2025
, Tech Innovations Weekly
Exploring the Future of Technology in Education, Society, and Development
Issue #1 – 5 September 2025
Section 1: Editorial Note – A World Shaped by ICT
Over the last two decades, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has
reshaped the world in ways once thought impossible. In the early 1990s, computers
were a rarity in most African households, often restricted to government offices,
universities, and affluent families. Internet access was expensive and inaccessible for
the majority, leaving many excluded from the emerging “information age.”
Fast forward to today, and the transformation is astonishing. Smartphones have
become almost universal, even in rural communities. Applications such as WhatsApp,
Google Classroom, and Zoom have not only changed how we communicate but also
how we learn, trade, and work. South Africa, like much of the African continent, is
witnessing a rapid digital revolution where ICT is no longer a luxury but a necessity for
survival in education, employment, and civic participation.
This newsletter celebrates the promise of ICT but also acknowledges its challenges.
While digital platforms create unprecedented opportunities for learners and
communities, barriers such as load-shedding, high data costs, and unequal access
remain persistent issues. The goal is to encourage critical discussion on how South
African students and educators can harness ICT responsibly and effectively to shape a
better future.
📌 Quote for reflection:
“Access to information is no longer a privilege; it is a right. ICT is the vehicle that drives
this right forward.” – Adapted from Kofi Annan.
Assignment 2
Due 05 September 2025
, Tech Innovations Weekly
Exploring the Future of Technology in Education, Society, and Development
Issue #1 – 5 September 2025
Section 1: Editorial Note – A World Shaped by ICT
Over the last two decades, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has
reshaped the world in ways once thought impossible. In the early 1990s, computers
were a rarity in most African households, often restricted to government offices,
universities, and affluent families. Internet access was expensive and inaccessible for
the majority, leaving many excluded from the emerging “information age.”
Fast forward to today, and the transformation is astonishing. Smartphones have
become almost universal, even in rural communities. Applications such as WhatsApp,
Google Classroom, and Zoom have not only changed how we communicate but also
how we learn, trade, and work. South Africa, like much of the African continent, is
witnessing a rapid digital revolution where ICT is no longer a luxury but a necessity for
survival in education, employment, and civic participation.
This newsletter celebrates the promise of ICT but also acknowledges its challenges.
While digital platforms create unprecedented opportunities for learners and
communities, barriers such as load-shedding, high data costs, and unequal access
remain persistent issues. The goal is to encourage critical discussion on how South
African students and educators can harness ICT responsibly and effectively to shape a
better future.
📌 Quote for reflection:
“Access to information is no longer a privilege; it is a right. ICT is the vehicle that drives
this right forward.” – Adapted from Kofi Annan.
