Rwanda and ALX partner with Anthropic to scale AI learning across Africa
A new partnership between the Government of Rwanda, ALX, and Anthropic will bring Chidi-an AI learning companion built on Claude-to hundreds of thousands of learners across Africa. Rwanda's ICT & Innovation and Education ministries will deploy Chidi within the national education system, while ALX will roll it out through its technology training programs across the continent. The goal is practical: help students learn skills like data analytics and cloud computing, and give teachers tools to plan lessons and support learners more effectively. This is one of the largest AI-in-education deployments on the continent, aligned with Rwanda's Vision 2050 and ALX's focus on developing African talent.
Partnering with the Government of Rwanda
Rwanda will enable AI training for up to 2,000 teachers and a group of civil servants. The program focuses on integrating AI into classroom practice, from lesson planning to day-to-day productivity, with hands-on use of Claude. Graduates of the pilot will receive a year of access to Claude tools, including Claude Pro for individuals and Claude Code for developer teams in government. The government and university educators will also explore Claude for Education to extend AI literacy beyond the pilot.
This initiative supports the country's plan to build a knowledge-driven economy under Rwanda's Vision 2050. As more Rwandans learn practical AI skills, the country expects growth in local startups, stronger participation in global teams, and new innovations that address regional needs.
"Rwanda's Vision 2050 places youth and technology at the core of national progress, and our goal is to build a workforce equipped for the opportunities of the 21st century," said Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT & Innovation in Rwanda. "This collaboration allows us to explore innovative AI tools that could enhance learning, support educators, strengthen developer capabilities, and provide new forms of digital assistance across selected institutions. These areas remain under review, and by beginning capacity building for civil servants, we ensure our workforce gains the foundational skills to engage with emerging technologies responsibly."
"Rwanda's comprehensive approach to embracing and integrating AI-training teachers, involving policymakers, and building a dedicated working group-creates the foundation for responsible AI deployment," said Elizabeth Kelly, Head of Beneficial Deployments at Anthropic. "By working with the government and ALX, we're learning how to ensure AI serves local educational needs while reaching students at scale."
Building skills with AI across the continent
ALX, one of Africa's largest technology training providers, will deploy Chidi across programs that reach over 200,000 students and young professionals. Through this partnership, all learners will access Claude through Chidi, which acts as a Socratic mentor-guiding with questions instead of giving direct answers. The focus is on developing independent problem-solving and effective AI collaboration.
Early results are promising: since the November 4 rollout, learners have engaged in over 1,100 conversations and nearly 4,000 learning sessions, with nine out of ten users reporting positive experiences. Students are using Chidi to work through complex coding challenges, strengthen data science fundamentals, and improve structured problem-solving.
"This is not just about bringing technology to Africa; it's about co-creating the future of learning to unlock the continent's full potential," said Fred Swaniker, Founder and CEO of ALX. "Chidi transforms how our students build their capabilities, their confidence, and ultimately their careers. As they master AI-powered learning today, they become the architects of Africa's technology-driven future tomorrow."
What this means for education and government leaders
- Start with teachers: Provide targeted PD for educators and civil servants on prompt craft, lesson planning, and responsible classroom use.
- Adopt a "Socratic-first" approach: Use AI to question, probe, and scaffold rather than give answers-improves thinking and assessment integrity.
- Establish governance early: Clear guidelines on data privacy, acceptable use, academic integrity, and escalation pathways reduce risk.
- Measure what matters: Track learning outcomes, teacher time saved, and student engagement-not just usage counts.
- Prioritize local relevance: Align prompts, examples, and projects to local curricula, languages, and economic opportunities.
- Support developers in government: Use tools like Claude Code for documentation, code review, and internal tooling to boost delivery speed.
- Plan for equitable access: Address device availability, offline options, and low-bandwidth modes where needed.
- Scale through communities of practice: Let trained cohorts mentor peers and share classroom-tested templates.
Part of a broader global effort
This initiative builds on education-focused deployments worldwide. In Iceland, a national AI education pilot is giving teachers access to Claude to streamline preparation and student support. The London School of Economics has made Claude for Education available to all students to strengthen critical thinking. Anthropic's expanded presence in India, including a new office in Bengaluru, supports the country's fast-growing developer and startup ecosystem.
How to operationalize a pilot within your system
- Define the pilot scope: Choose a small set of schools or departments, with clear subject areas and outcomes.
- Set classroom guardrails: Clarify permitted use, citation norms, and assessment rules for students and staff.
- Equip the pilot team: Provide training, exemplar prompts, and a shared repository of lesson plans.
- Run short cycles: Test for 6-8 weeks, collect feedback, refine prompts and workflows, then expand.
- Share templates: Publish lesson planning checklists, feedback rubrics, and department playbooks for scale-up.
If your institution needs structured upskilling on Claude, see this practical certification path: Claude Certification for Educators and Teams. It pairs well with pilot programs and teacher PD.
Your membership also unlocks:
