Picture a classroom where students access lessons on their tablets—without the internet. This is now a reality in The Gambia, thanks to a groundbreaking initiative using Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM), a digital broadcasting technology that delivers audio and data via radio waves.
In partnership with a local secondary school in Banjul, an innovative trial will launch on April 8, allowing students at St Joseph’s Senior Secondary School to receive lessons broadcast from the UK using shortwave DRM signals. These signals are picked up by specialized receivers that create a local Wi-Fi hotspot. From there, students can access educational content directly on their tablets—no data plans or broadband required.
DRM, a global digital broadcasting standard, is known for its energy efficiency and ability to carry high-quality audio and multimedia content across various radio bands, including shortwave, mediumwave, and FM. It’s designed to serve both large rural regions and specific local communities.
What sets this project apart is not just the delivery method, but the experience it offers. Lessons will be available in English, French, and German, enhanced by artificial intelligence to support multilingual learning. The broadcasts include both audio and a digital companion tool called Journaline, which functions as an interactive textbook, offering visuals and key points for students to access anytime.
This initiative is more than just a tech experiment—it’s a game-changer for education in regions where internet access is limited or unreliable. By using DRM-capable radios and tablets, even students in remote locations can now receive quality education without the need for complex infrastructure.
This marks a historic first for Africa and possibly the world, offering a new blueprint for how education can be delivered affordably and efficiently through digital radio.
