Technology
2. Technology laws, policies, plans and regulations
2.1. Education technology legislative and policy framework
2.2. Technology infrastructures, technological capacity of schools and learning environments
2.3. Technology competencies of learners and teachers
3.1. Institutions in charge of technology in education and coordination mechanisms
1. Terminology
The term information and communication technologies (ICTs) is used in many government documents, although no formal definition was found.
Law n. º 17/16 on the bases of the education and teaching system (Lei de Bases do Sistema de Educaçao e Ensino) includes distance education and semi-present education as learning modalities, where the teaching and learning process may include ICT resources.
2. Technology laws, policies, plans and regulations
2.1. Education technology legislative and policy framework
Constitution and laws: The 2008 Constitution of Angola (as amended in 2010) acknowledges the right to education and mandates for the State to promote science, scientific and technological research.
Law n. º 17/16 on the bases of the education and teaching system and its reforms, outlines specific goals for the development of technological abilities in students. The Law integrates as an objective for primary education to foster learning abilities through reading, writing, computing, and the fundamentals of science and technology (article 29). As for secondary education, the acquisition of the fundamentals of science and technological knowledge is encouraged.
Angola has established a regulatory framework for the organization of information and communication technologies, which includes objectives for the promotion of ICT in the education system. Law 23/11 on Electronic Communications and Information Society Services and Decree No 202/11 on Regulations of Information Technologies and Services set a framework for the development of ICT infrastructure, digital literacy, and e-government initiatives. Law 23/11 on Electronic Communications and Information Society Services includes specific objectives to promote the integration of ICT in the education system, digital literacy, access to broadband internet, establishing universal service for the access to information and knowledge for all citizens, and encouraging distance learning.
Policies, plans and strategies: The 2005-2010 Action Plan of Information Society established strategic pillars for the development of the information society in Angola, one of them being education. In 2013 the plan was actualized with the enactment of the 2013-2017 National Plan of Information Society.
The National Development Plan (PDN) 2018-2022 promoted e-learning and remote education and learning modalities to increase access to education for all citizens.
The 2019-2022 White Paper on Information and Communication Technologies consolidates the Government's vision on information and communication technologies (ICT) for Angola. It reinforced the need to orient the teaching towards the use of ICT and to include ICT education as a discipline and as a learning tool. Moreover, it further develops that ICT in education should contribute to the improvement of learning and other important factors, such as improved efficiency in the management of the education and school system, improved preparation of students for the job market, facilitating access to quality content and professionals, especially in places with low demographic density or difficult access, offering better opportunities to students with physical limitations, such as vision, hearing or locomotion limitations.
Digital competency frameworks: No formal digital competency framework for teachers or students was found.
2.2. Technology infrastructures, technological capacity of schools and learning environments
2.2.1. Technology infrastructure and digital capacity of schools
Electricity: The 1996 Electricity Law and the Angola 2025 energy policy do not include initiatives for the provision of electricity to schools.
Computers and devices: According to the 2020 amendments of Law n. º 17/16 on the bases of the education and teaching system, the State must ensure the provision of educational resources to schools.
Decree No 202/11 on the Regulations of Information Technologies and Services promotes the introduction of electronic means into the pedagogical process. For this, it aims to make computers available to students at reasonable prices as well as equip teaching institutions with computers and other electronic equipment relevant to the teaching process.
As part of the Ministry of Telecommunication, Information Technologies and Social Communication (MINTTICS) mandate, it implements projects which aim to diversify practices and processes in technology management in different sectors, including education. The project Walking Tic/Mobile Centres consist of mobile classrooms for schools and communities with computers powered by solar energy and technological training software for students for communities across the country.
Internet connectivity: According to Law 23/11 on Electronic Communications and Information Society Services, the State must guarantee universal access to ICT and information society services, including the availability of a universal communications service, to meet the communication needs of the population.
Decree No 202/11 on the Regulations of Information Technologies and Services specifies the need to connect classrooms and other important school areas to broadband internet connections.
The 2019-2022 White Paper on Information and Communication Technologies aims to guarantee Universal Access to electronic communication to the entire Angolan population. According to it, the Fund for Supporting the Development of Communications (FADCOM), whose primary sources of revenue are contributions by operators to the Universal Service fund, by the regulating body, along with State appropriations and donations, will be responsible for financing initiatives to make Universal Access available in difficult-to-reach geographic areas. In addition, it aims to stimulate the construction of broadband infrastructure to enable digital access, eradicate poverty, and improve digital literacy.
2.2.2. Technology and learning environments
The provision of flexible and distance learning is included in different government documents. Law n. º 17/16 on the bases of the educational and teaching system, envisages distance learning (article 89) and semi-present education (article 92) as education modalities.
Decree No 202/11 Regulations of Information Technologies and Services promotes the creation of digital content for education, training and online teaching through the creation of platforms and provision of distance learning and encouraging the adaptation of digital content for pedagogical use in classrooms.
The National Development Plan 2018-2022 promotes distance education and e-learning as educational modalities.
During the COVID-19 outbreak and in response to school closures, the Angolan government experimented with various alternatives such as distance learning initiatives, radio programmes, and teleclasses to reach as many students as possible.
2.3. Technology competencies of learners and teachers
2.3.1. Learners
As for the integration of ICT in the education system to develop students’ digital skills. Law 23/11 on Electronic Communications and Information Society Services promotes digital literacy and ICT education in schools.
Decree No 202/11 on the Regulations of Information Technologies and Services sets for the integration of information and communication technologies as a school discipline and increase training in ICT domains.
The 2019-2022 White Paper on Information and Communication Technologies aims to strengthen the use of ICT in the education system.
The National Plan of Informational Society 2013-2017, proposed to reinforce the ICT's competencies and ICT's use in Teaching and Learning and increase access to education and content. The partnership the Escola ProFuturo seeks to reduce the gap in educational quality between boys and girls.
2.3.2. Teachers
According to Law n. º 17/16, which establishes the bases of the educational and teaching system, teacher training should include training on scientific, pedagogical, methodological, linguistic, cultural, technical and human knowledge.
Decree No 202/11 on the Regulations of Information Technologies and Services encourages the training of teachers and other actors involved in the education process of students to use ICT methods and resources in their teaching process.
The Ministry of Education in partnership with the Escola ProFuturo, launched a project devoted to training teachers on the use of technology and on how to integrate it into their teaching practices to enable students to acquire abilities and competencies in the use of ICT.
2.4. Cybersecurity and safety
2.4.1. Data privacy
In Angola, data privacy and protection is regulated by a set of laws which includes Law 22/11 on Protection of Personal Data (Protecção de Dados Pessoais), Law 7/17 on the Protection of Networks and Computer Systems ( Protecção das Redes e Sistemas Informáticos) and Decree No 202/11 Regulations of Information Technologies and Services.
Law 22/11 on the Protection of Personal Data dictates the legal framework for the use and processing of personal data. Law 7/17 on the Protection of Networks and Computer Systems establishes the legal regime on measures to protect networks and computer systems.
Decree No 202/11 Regulations of Information Technologies and Services guarantees the confidentiality and data protection of the information collected by the Ministry of Education.
2.4.2. Online abuse and cyberbullying
The 2019-2022 White Paper on Information and Communication Technologies call for the State to promote actions towards raising awareness and training citizens, particularly children and young people, to adopt positive strategies regarding the use of ICT and safer use of the Internet.
Law 7/17 on the Protection of Networks and Computer Systems includes different actions which are labelled as unlawful behaviours, including attacks, computer theft and cyber-attacks.
3. Governance
3.1. Institutions in charge of technology in education and coordination mechanisms
The education and teaching system in Angola is regulated by the Ministry of Education (MED) and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESCTI), whose legal responsibilities and roles are supported by the Basic Law of the Education and Teaching System on 17/16. In 2002 the Angolan government created the National Commission for Information Technology, which was tasked with the development of a plan for ICT implementation in the country.
3.2. Roles of schools
No national regulatory framework was found regarding the use of mobile devices in schools. At the provincial level, Cabinda issued directives regarding the use of mobile devices in schools. Individual schools may choose additional regulations according to their internal regulations on the use of technological devices.
