Powering A Future With Universal Education: Smart Off-Grid and Avanti's E-Learning Initiative
For most students in the developed world, the pandemic’s shift to online education did not significantly reduce their ability to learn. For students in the developing world, however, pandemic-related school closures halted their learning opportunities. In fact, the importance of connectivity has been heightened, and it is now a basic necessity for education. In this blog, we look at how Smart Off-Grid enables scalable connectivity for rural education through Avanti’s satellite Wi-Fi eLearning initiative.
The Problem of Inadequate Education
The pandemic has had disastrous effects on global education. In the first two years of the pandemic, 80% of school days in South America and South Asia were disrupted by closures. For many of these students, closures meant a complete halt to learning, as they lacked the tools to engage in remote education. As a result, in low and middle-income countries, the level of children who cannot read or understand a simple text has risen from 53% to 70% since 2019.
A population with the knowledge and skills to participate in the global economy and help solve global challenges such as climate change is extremely important. In fact, a lack of education translates to a significant reduction in a community’s contribution to global GDP. With 90% of the world’s children living in developing countries, we must find innovative solutions to improve education in these regions.
The Challenge of Increasing Access to Quality Education
When it comes to establishing quality education for all, the disparities in access and resolving the digital divide are major challenges. As discussed in a previous blog on the socioeconomic benefits of connectivity, the primary obstacle to improved education in the developing world is a lack of access to reliable, low-cost internet service. A low-cost infrastructure solution is imperative for establishing scalable connectivity to increase access to quality education. With the growth of satellite Wi-Fi services as a solution in the race to connect the world, we are getting closer to bringing connectivity to the 450 million people not covered by a mobile network. However, in order to establish scalable connectivity, a low-cost, reliable power solution is needed for the satellite Wi-Fi ground infrastructure.
Smart Off-Grid Power for Connectivity
Smart Off-Grid power can help bring about a more educated
population by powering reliable connectivity anywhere in the world.
Connectivity is essential for achieving UN Sustainable Development
Goal 4 and ensuring equal and affordable access to inclusive, quality
education by 2030. In hard-to-reach areas such as remote communities,
connectivity is challenging to implement. Unreliable power infrastructure and
high costs of services have constantly impeded the
development of connectivity
for rural education.
However, Clear Blue’s Smart Off-Grid technology provides the
off-grid energy management required to enable low-cost off-grid connectivity.
As well, Smart Off-Grid delivers remote management and control, which is essential
for ensuring the reliability and uptime of critical connectivity
infrastructure. Therefore, Smart Off-Grid power solves the challenges of
implementing connectivity in the most hard-to-reach areas. Connectivity powered
by Smart Off-Grid will enable post-pandemic improvements to education to ensure
a more educated global population for the future.
Avanti’s E-Learning Initiative
Clear Blue has already partnered with Avanti to enable its
e-learning initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa. Over the course of a multi-year
rollout, Avanti’s advanced satellite technology will bring internet
connectivity to 3-5000 schools across Sub-Saharan Africa. These satellite Wi-Fi
systems will bring life-changing education and socioeconomic opportunities to
the population of 
Sub-Saharan Africa. Clear Blue will be the exclusive off-grid
power provider for Avanti’s initiative, and this multi-year rollout signals
significant market potential for the satellite Wi-Fi market in the future.
By enhancing connectivity through innovative technology solutions, Clear Blue and Avanti are powering a more educated future for our world. By solving the cost and reliability challenges of connectivity in inaccessible areas, the partnership between Clear Blue and Avanti is delivering a scalable solution which will help achieve SDG 4. Through Smart Off-Grid power, quality education will become universal.