School in a box?

Solar energy can be used for education. “Well, how then?”, you will probably be thinking. Africa, one of the continents that is still holding the posterior end of development is ready to set a benchmark in using solar power for educating its children. Thanks to organizations like the Institute of Art, Design & Technology (IADT), this revolutionary idea can be realized. School in a Box, invented by the IADT, promises to magically spread knowledge across the African continent, where access to electricity is still considered as a privileged luxury. Therefore, the School in a Box uses solar energy. It looks like a wheelie case comprising of a solar panel, battery, speakers and projector. The solar panel, which weighs slightly more than 2 kg, is enough to power an iPad 2 that contains a custom made curriculum for children. Fifteen such boxes will soon find their way to three rural schools of South Africa. BPI Telecom, an Irish Company, will strengthen this educational cause by looking into the global distribution aspects for the School in a Box.


Karen Van Overbeke.