Microsoft is supporting educators with the power of technology to deliver quality education. Microsoft education partners hold Digital Transformation in Education Workshop in Accra, Ghana
Microsoft held a digital transformation in education workshop in Accra, to introduce its technology tools for education. Organizations and institutions from the government, public and private sectors were introduced to Microsoft’s 365 Education solution. It empowers institutions to unlock creativity and promote teamwork within and outside the classroom. Microsoft 365 Education combines the essentials of the Windows 10 platform, Office 365 for productivity and collaboration and the Enterprise Mobility Suite for security and management. It provides all these within a simplified licensing framework, simple and safe experience in a single and affordable solution.
The informative session put together by Zepto Ghana Limited and Point of View Afrique, Microsoft Education partners for Ghana showed educators of all levels how they can leverage technology in these times of digital transformation. Introducing localized and personalized solutions and devices that will suit their needs.
” Education is changing and with the power of technology
we hope we can empower every one. “
Introducing Educators to Microsoft 365 Education
Keynote speaker: Jaye Richards-Hill Microsoft Worldwide BDM Education EMEA
Keynote speaker of the event Jaye Richards-Hill, Business Development Manager, Education, Microsoft EMEA spoke on the Digital transformation of education. She spoke about Microsoft’s vision in Education and scenarios and solutions for digital transformation.
Jaye said “It is not the technology but what you do with it that is important. Education is changing and with the power of technology we hope we can empower every one. Our CEO Satya Nadella talks often about empowering STEM. Technology is driving the skills acquisition in today’s world. The skill you need today are the types of skills you need to acquire during education. It is important that institutions apply real life methods in their learning and teachings.”
Anthony Mungai Nyutu Devices Lead Education WECA
Senior Solution specialist and Microsoft Devices lead Education, WECA, Anthony Mungai Nyutu spoke about Technology in the classroom and building the education platform for the 21st-century learning. Introducing participants to solutions in Windows 10 and Office 365 that make sharing and learning interactive and fun. Demoing mixed reality in Paint 3D, Office Mix in Power Point, game based learning with Minecraft etc.
” The way you build the future
is through education. “
Helping Educators with devices and solutions
Mr. Mark Pritchard moderating the last give away device contest.
The way you build the future is through education, said Mark Pritchard General Manager Point De Vue Afrique and Zepto Ghana Limited. One of the biggest challenge in Africa is not the connectivity or technology but the money,. He said this when talking about how Point of View and Zepto Ghana are trying to fill in that gap. In partnership with EcoBank, organizations will be able to raise the needed funding to purchase the necessary tools and solutions to bring digital transformation to their schools and students.
Every government, private or public education partner or provider needs different solutions. Zepto Ghana Limited and Point of View Africa as local Microsoft education partners will help you find the right affordable solutions to transform learning and increase creativity.
Other solution partners at the event included Africa Schools Online, Girls Konnekt, Extramarks and ISYX. Check out and join the conversation with #MicrosoftEduGH #DigitalTransformationGH on social platforms.
Microsoft Invites you to Experience Digital Transformation with all that Microsoft 365 Education can offer you
The new education package Microsoft 365 Education, was official launched at Innovation Africa a few months ago in Maputo, Mozambique. The Microsoft 365 Education package is a technology solution built for education. It comes as a bundled package of Office 365, Windows 10, Intune for Education, Minecraft Education Edition and Enterprise Mobility + Security all in a single cloud based package.
“The aim of Microsoft 365 Education is to get schools up and running faster through simplified acquisition and deployment.
This eliminates wasted time and delivers new capabilities to teachers and students to help them learn and work in new ways. We know that schools want simple to purchase, simple to manage, secure and efficient systems. Microsoft 365 Education is designed to deliver on that need.” – Mark East, Microsoft Regional Leader for Education in Europe Middle East and Africa.
In the invitation it says “We are excited to invite you to come and experience all that Microsoft 365 Education can offer”
Microsoft 365 Education is here to provide educators and students with all the tools needed to teach and learn skills needed for 21st century life. Familiar products like Office 365 encourage collaboration, Enterprise Mobility Suite provides security and management, and we’ll be introducing the latest version of Minecraft: Education edition. This fun open-world game is changing and improving the landscape of learning in a way students really enjoy.
If you’ll want to learn more about the new Microsoft Education package, with demos, presentations and testimonials. Get insights and if you’ve got questions on what works and doesn’t, this is the right opportunity to participate in the event hosted by Microsoft Education Partners for Ghana, Zepto Ghana Ltd. and Point de Vue Afrique.
Educators, IT Admins, IT heads of schools, Heads of Institutions, Register to be part of this event on December 7th, in Accra, Ghana.
Mahala is a Microsoft education initiative that provides students with access to free Microsoft Office 365 and 1TB of OneDrive
Speaking at LEADEREX 2017 event, Microsoft South Africa MD spoke about many initiatives including Mahala.
Mahala is an education partnership between Microsoft South Africa and 2enable. The initiative seeks to offer all South African school learners from the ages of 8 and above free access to Microsoft Office across all their devices as well as 1TB of OneDrive storage.
Microsoft South Africa says; with the platform, we have simplified the process for signing up for Office 365 for Education. We have extended the benefits that we supply. By using the Mahala.MS platform to register you will receive the following;
Install of Office 365 Pro Plus (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote & Outlook) across multiple different devices across all platforms (iOS, Android & Windows)
1TB of OneDrive storage
Office Online applications that work across all browsers (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote & Sway)
So what’s the difference between signing up via Microsoft Education and Mahala.ms? Microsoft SA says;
We’ve simplified the signup process to remove blockers such as lack of Academic email address. We have extended the benefits to include the installed version of Office instead of limiting to web access only.
How and what do you need to get started?
You must be a full or part-time student at an academic institution in South Africa, between the ages of 8 and 22. You will need the following information while signing up on the platform.
South African ID number (can be found on the birth certificate or ID book)
Internet access
Private email address, used for correspondence of Mahala.MS log in details.
What will happen when the access expires? If you are still eligible, you can re-apply. But if it’s not your documents will still be available to view but not editable.
Visit the Mahala page and register for the offer. Are you in South Africa and excited about this? Tell us what you think in the comments.
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Check out other stories making the news in the technology ecosystem in Africa and the Middle East.
Katherine made Nigeria and Africa proud at the just ended 2017 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship
With about 560,000 competitors from 122 countries, Katherine competed in the Microsoft Office global competition. The competition tests and awards students skills in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Is there a competition in Word, Excel and Power point? Apparently yes! and it’s been going on for 16 years. It goes to show there are more ways these programs are used in ordinary day activities. You best maybe use Microsoft Excel for your invoices and Word for your curriculum vitae, uh? lol. There’s more, like using Excel for data computations, analysis and visualizations, etc, etc.
Eta Katherine was 3rd finalist in the Microsoft Word 2016 category. Winning a cash price of $ 1,500, a medal of achievement and a winners certificate. She competed with 156 finalists in the final round of 2017 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship in Anaheim, USA. In the concluding round, finalist participate in unique project-based tests. Demonstrating their ability to create documents, spreadsheets and presentations for the information presented in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
“We are proud to support the MOS World Championship and grateful to meet young people from all parts of the world. Who have discovered the power of Microsoft Office skills for productivity and employability.” – Anneleen Vaandrager – Microsoft Senior Director Education Industry
How to Participate in the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship ?
The competition is opened to students aged 13 to 22. There are three Microsoft Office categories Word, Excel and Power Point of either 2016 or 2013 tracks.
Students must take a qualifying Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification exam from an accredited learning institution. In other cases, national or regional competitions are held to determine representatives. Selected finalists then compete in the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship.
Regional participation and availability varies by country. Further details can be obtained by contacting a local Certiport Solution Provider or MOSchampionship@pearson.com .
Winners of the tracks get a cash price of $ 7,000, a medal of achievement, trophy, winners certificate and prizes from Microsoft. Second place finalist get $ 3,500, a medal of achievement and winners certificate.
Here is a list of 2017 wining finalist from all categories and tracks.
Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship is an annual global competition that tests students’ skills and allows the entrants to demonstrate their mastery of Microsoft Office products; Microsoft Office 2010 and 2013 Word, Excel and PowerPoint by answering questions. This years final will be taking place in Dallas, Texas, United States of America from August 9-12, 2015.
This years competition opened to participants of age 13 to 22 saw over 1400 students from 78 schools in the country participating. Introduced this year by the organizers of the program was the addition of the Junior High Schools with the emerging winner eventually from one.
Samantha-Michelle Naa Korkoi Kanyi a student of the Mary Mother of Good Counsel School in Accra, emerged the winner of this year’s National Microsoft Office Specialist Championship with 985 points out of 1000, setting a new record and becoming the youngest winner in the history of the Ghana competition.
Qualifying to represent Ghana for the international completion in Dallas, Texas with Samantha are Jedidiah Koomson of the St Augustine’s College and Esther Yeboah of the SOS Hermann Gmeiner International School,
Samantha received a ticket to represent Ghana, a laptop, stationery, Microsoft branded T-shirts and a certificate as her prize.
