Working in Partnership with Brunel University to bridge the digital divide

The COVID-19 pandemic put the world on an unexpected pause. In the UK we had to swiftly adjust to sudden lockdown enforcements, resulting in us shifting to a digital working environment. The education system has been completely disrupted by the pandemic and as students, we have had to move away from the classroom and solely rely on e-learning. For students all around the world skills such as adaptability, independence and resilience have been critical to the academic progress under these new circumstances.

The biggest hurdle has been accessing a stable internet connection, while another barrier has been differing time zones between students and lecturers. In addition to this, lecturers and students who contracted COVID-19 have, in many instances, led to absence from lectures and postponing deadlines. Yet, the barriers we face here in the UK have been exacerbated in places with lack of access to e-learning. This is particularly true for countless students in Global South countries. As Global Challenge Students here at Brunel, our own student experiences during the pandemic have inspired us to work towards improving the quality of education in regions where it is subpar.

Education is a fundamental human right and has become one of the greatest global challenges we face today. Around 263 million children are left without access to education, and according to a recent UNICEF report, the emergence of the coronavirus caused that number to leap to 463 million. This figure accounts for approximately a third of the world’s school children who do not have access to remote learning and highlights the prevailing digital divide that enforces the barrier to quality education worldwide. At a time where access to education is most crucial, many young people are excluded from their right to an education, and this is unacceptable.


In conjunction with the Steve Sinnott Foundation and the Gambia’s Teacher’s Union, we have devised a sustainable solution to improve the quality of education in the Gambia’s Lower River Region. Our aim is to enhance the classroom teaching experience by digitalising the classroom and introducing technology. After extensive research, we have advised the implementation of TV screens and laptops that function off a solar powered circuit, with learning materials being downloaded onto a USB stick to be transferred to in-classroom teaching. These screens will serve as visual aids, by allowing for educational videos to be displayed. We believe that this project will not only enhance the children’s learning experiences, but also build the foundation for a potential online learning environment which can then be replicated across the region.


Fundamentally we are working towards SDG 4, which aims to ensure a quality education that is both equitable and inclusive and to ultimately promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The coronavirus pandemic and its uncertainty has shown us that digitalising education is essential in upholding a quality education. For that reason, it is crucial to bridge the gap of the existing digital divide to ensure that present and future generations can thrive successfully.


From Engage issue 22. 


You can find out more about this project here with our previous update in December 2020.

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CAMILLE LOVGREEN, JASHIKA NIRMALAN, CRAIG NELSON AND JIVAN SIDHU • October 27, 2021

Headlines: Inspiration, humour and advice for school leaders - Competition 2025

By Ann Beatty • August 15, 2025
Mike Fleetham of Thinking Classroom has written a book " Headlines: Inspiration, humour and advice for school leaders ". A collection of original ideas, advice from professionals, quotes, and tips to support and inspire all leaders. Perfect for new and established leaders working in education, especially headteachers. "Being a headteacher is like looking both ways before you cross the road, and then getting hit by an aeroplane." To Enter the Competition To win a copy of Headlines please share your inspiring education or life lesson in no more than 600 words. The winning article will also be published in our next edition of Engage. Send your words of inspiration to admin@stevesinnottfoundation.org.uk ๐Ÿ“… Deadline: 5th September 2025โ  Stuck on Ideas? Here are some questions and prompts to get you started! What’s the one lesson school didn’t teach you, but life did? Think of a moment that changed your path, what happened? What piece of advice has helped you grow the most? When did a challenge turn into an opportunity for you? What story from your life would inspire someone on the other side of the world? What’s the life lesson that unlocked your next chapter? โ  Your words could uplift, empower and be seen by many. Let your story inspire the world! ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ’กโ  Good luck and we cant wait to read all the entries!

UNESCO ASPnet Schools Coventry

By Ann Beatty • July 8, 2025
This week our CEO Ann and Jude (SSF Ambassador) visited schools in Coventry and heard about the wonderful work that students are doing to foster peace and community connection, as part of Coventry Arts Week. We visited Lyng Hall school in the morning and met with Ms Hagan and four of the schools UNESCO ASPnet ambassadors. They told us all about their recent project. The students took their art and poetry to the 80th Anniversary symposium in Ypres and Dunkirk. They shared with us some of the poetry they had written together with the students on the field trip and some of their own poems too. They also shared their future plans for working with their local primary school on peace and community. We also had the privilege of joining Ms Hagans class where they were looking at Caliban’s tale. Here is one of the students work

A Get Moving Fundraiser - Ann's 60 Miles Walk

By Ann Beatty • June 30, 2025
For my birthday this year I had the honour to walk 60 miles (yes it was a big 0 birthday) over 3 days to support the essential work of the Steve Sinnott Foundation of which I am CEO. Education in its many forms is essential for all of us to thrive and make the most of life's opportunities. The Foundation works to ensure that as many children and adults as possible across the globe can access the human right of education. The plan was to walk with friends and supporters who I hoped would keep me smiling along the way and it felt like a good way to make use of the Foundation’s “Get Moving” campaign. Here's how my Get Moving Fundraiser went on the first day. The 13th June I started my walk in London by walking from Barnet to west Hampstead and visiting my sister at her shop at Tree of Life where I got served a nice iced coffee to keep me going.