Computing student creates digital system to support schools in Burkina Faso
A Computing degree student at East Sussex College is using his studies to develop an innovative digital system designed to help schools and communities in Burkina Faso.
Belko Diallo, who is currently studying FdSc Computing and Systems Development at the college, is working on a project called Jam Tan Edu Suite, which aims to digitise administrative systems for schools and community programmes in a rural village where infrastructure can be unreliable.
The project is inspired by his personal connection to Burkina Faso, where he has spent most of his life. His parents run a community support centre called Jam Tan, which provides a range of services including a medical facility, vocational training, a primary school and a children’s club.
“I've spent most of my life in Burkina Faso and there is little in the way of infrastructure and facilities,” said Belko. “I volunteered a few times at the children's club, part of the community support centre my parents run, and noticed inefficiencies and inaccuracies in the current paper-based administration system. Tasks such as marking attendance, grading, registration and reporting can be slow and errors can arise due to the number of children and the fact everything is manual.”
These challenges, combined with unreliable connectivity due to frequent power cuts, led him to design a system that can operate without constant internet access.
“Despite the centre having high-speed internet via Starlink [a recent development], power cuts are frequent which means connection can be unreliable,” he said. “The system I've designed can function entirely on a local network.”
His project, Jam Tan Edu Suite, is designed to support multiple education programmes, not just a single school or club.
“The ‘suite’ in the name means it will be able to support as many different education programmes as necessary,” Belko explained. “By digitising administration systems, I hope to increase the speed and efficiency of tasks, freeing up staff to focus on supporting children.
“Certain reports, such as statistics for individual students or trends in student numbers, simply do not exist at the moment, so my project will help generate insights to identify children who may need more support and improve decision making.”
Belko hopes the impact of his work could extend beyond a single organisation.
“My project can have a positive impact not only on Jam Tan’s educational programmes but also on other organisations that have not yet been digitised,” he said. “It could also help staff develop vital digital and computer literacy skills, which are increasingly important.”
He credits his time at East Sussex College with equipping him with the skills needed to take on such an ambitious project.
“I’ve been able to take all the skills I’m learning, such as programming, database design, web development, and cyber security, and make a positive difference. One of the biggest lessons of my degree so far is how it shows that all kinds of problems, big or small, can be solved through abstraction by breaking it down into smaller simpler steps.”
Looking ahead, Belko hopes to build a career in technology, with a focus on making a meaningful difference - something he’s certainly doing for the community in Burkina Faso.