UNESCO report on technology in education launched

Themed "Technology in Education: A Tool on Whose Terms", the 2023 GEM Report for Southeast Asia covers analysis of 11 countries in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam. It stated that technology has changed the organisation of education in the region, and recognised that technology has helped enhance learning access to students in mountainous and remote areas and in emergency case. Besides, it highlighted that technology is not a comprehensive tool to handle major challenges in the sector.

At the event, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Phuc, Deputy Minister of Education and Training, said the report’s findings put forth a framework to review the use of technology in Vietnam in a comprehensive manner, adding its recommendations help the country head towards a fair, integrated and quality education for all learners amidst rapid digital transformation.

It is necessary to share experience and discuss strategies and solutions to tap on technology to the fullest extent in education with the participation of stakeholders, from managers, researchers, teachers and organisations, to ensure a fair and quality education.

Meanwhile, Director of the GEM Report Manos Antoninis described the report as a material to shape up digital transformation in Vietnam and the whole region and assure that learners are put at the centre of the decision to integrate technology into education.

The report called on policymakers to understand education challenges before choosing suitable technologies to handle them, he stressed.

Participants at the event also discussed the current use of technologies as well as ways ahead to promote digital transformation in the education sector.

According to the report, Southeast Asia experienced a fast growth rate in the use of internet in the past ten years, with 400 million Internet users. However, there is a yawning gap in access between the rich and the poor, with 95% children from wealthy families benefit from the Internet at home as compared to 18% of those from impoverished ones.