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  • 11 March 2016
    Harnessing the digital learning revolution to achieve inclusive, equitable, better quality education

    A joint ITU/UNESCO Policy Forum on mobile learning brought together for the first time Ministers of Education and Ministers of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) to examine the role that policies and cross-sectoral collaboration can play in fostering innovation and the use of digital technology to improve the quality, equity and accessibility of education.

    The Forum was held under the framework of ITU's m-Powering Development Initiative and was a highlight of this year's UNESCO Mobile Learning Week (MLW), which had the theme "Innovating for Quality".

    Mr Brahima Sanou, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau noted that the Forum marked, "the start of an important collaborative effort between the education and ICT sectors to design policies that will build comprehensive and sustainable strategies for the digital learning revolution."

    He added , "using ICTs and mobile devices for learning is about empowerment. It is about empowering teachers with extremely rich resources for improving their teaching methods and allowing students to take a more active role in their own education both inside and outside the classroom."

    Mr Sanou said ICTs were crucial drivers for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, adding, "the digital learning revolution is essential for bridging the gender divide, to provide girls and women with the skills and opportunities to engage as fully as possible in social and economic life using all available technologies."

    He noted that it was important for teachers to receive the skills and technical support necessary to maximize the benefit from mobile learning, "so that they can lead the digital learning revolution."

    The event featured a Ministerial High-Level Roundtable which looked at how increasingly affordable digital devices can help address urgent educational challenges and meet the needs of students, teachers and administrators. Ministers also explored ways to create synergies between national policies in the areas of technology, education, telecommunication and innovation.

    During the Forum, participants from Latin America discussed how m-learning was being used in the region to address key education issues such as literacy, access and retention. An interactive dialogue between public and private sector stakeholders was also held examining how to establish strong public private partnerships for infrastructure provision, technical support and learning resources development.

    ITU's m-Powering Development Initiative is designed to give advice and share recommendations on how to deploy ICT services, from m-Health, m-Learning and m-Governance to m-Commerce and m-Sport.

    UNESCO Mobile Learning Week is an annual event which brings together experts from around the world to share how affordable and powerful mobile technology – from basic handsets to the newest tablet computers – can accelerate learning for all, particularly people living in disadvantaged communities.