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UNESCO Celebrates Egypt’s Achievements in Digital Technology and Innovation in Education
UNESCO Celebrates Egypt’s Achievements in Digital Technology and Innovation in Education
Teachers are the cornerstone of any education system. Transforming education requires that we reimagine a world where every educator is empowered and supported to contribute towards a sustainable and just future for all.
UNESCO works to develop digital literacy and digital competencies with a focus on teachers. In so doing, UNESCO enables teachers to steer digital innovation in expanding access to educational opportunities and advancing inclusion. With stronger digital skills and competencies, teachers are better positioned to enhance the relevance and quality of learning, build ICT-enhanced lifelong learning pathways, and monitor learning processes.
The UNESCO Regional Office in Cairo honored outstanding Egyptian educators who participated in the National Competition for Teacher Excellence in Creating Digital Content. The event was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Technical Education (MoETE) and the Professional Academy for Teachers (PAT). The competition was generously supported by the UNESCO-Huawei Technology-enabled Open Schools for All project, with contributions from the Misr El Kheir Foundation and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT).
The national competition attracted more than 600 entries from teachers across Egypt. The competition celebrates innovative and creative teachers who have seamlessly integrated digital content creation into their teaching practices. The first-place winner, Ms Mona Abdelmoneim Mahmoud, was presented with an all-expense paid study visit to the Queen Rania Teacher Academy in Jordan. The other top winners were awarded with prizes ranging from digital devices, scholarships, and certificates of participation.
In conjunction with the awarding ceremony, the 2023 UNESCO Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report was launched in Egypt. The Report, themed Technology in education: A tool on whose terms? emphasizes the importance of supporting educators in the digital transformation of education and presents recommendations that are relevant globally and to the Egyptian educational context.
Egypt is featured as a champion in the introduction of the GEM Report, where there is a case study dedicated to the country’s experience in adopting technology in education.
Ms Mary Anne Therese Manuson, Education Programme Specialist from the UNESCO Regional Office in Cairo presented the main findings and recommendations of the GEM Report. The Report’s basic premise is that technology in education must prioritize learners’ and teachers’ best interests. Technology’s suitability and value need to be proven in relation to a human-centered vision of education. Decision makers need a compass when deciding to deploy technology in education, and must reflect on the following questions: Is it appropriate? Is it equitable? Is it scalable? Is it sustainable?
The national launch event of the 2023 GEM Report featured a panel discussion moderated by Dr Nuria Sanz, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Cairo. The panel comprised a diverse lineup of stakeholders:
Dr. Zeinab Khalifa, Director of the Professional Academy for Teachers.
Dr. Hoda Dahroug, Advisor to the Minister for Digital Community Development, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
Dr. Saber Hassan, Education Sector Head, Misr El Kheir Foundation.
Dr. Abdelmoneim El Sharkawy, Chair of the National Academy of Information Technology for Persons with Disabilities.
Engr Amr Zayed, Government Relations Director of Huawei Egypt.
Ms. Mona Abdelmoneim Mahmoud, Teacher and first-place winner of the National Competition for Teacher Excellence in Creating Digital Content.
Ms. Lamar Mohamed Hassan, Grade 11 Student.
Some of the key takeaways from the panel discussion include:
Efforts are being made to implement the Digital Egypt Strategy across the board, particularly in education, by promoting open educational resources (OERs) and scaling up digital learning programs, digital resources and digital platforms.
To be effective facilitators of learning in the digital age, teachers need to be empowered, equipped with digital competencies, motivated, and supported. Surveys can help to understand the needs of teachers in terms of digital upskilling and innovation. Competitions are a means to encourage teacher engagement in producing digital content. Resources must continue to be invested to support teachers in applying in the classroom what they have learned in training.
In promoting digital inclusion, it is essential to understand the specific needs of people with disabilities. Inclusive and accessible ICTs must be able to address the needs of persons with a variety of disabilities, to the extent that they encourage personalized learning. To realize its potential, technology requires the simultaneous application of appropriate pedagogy while being personalized to accommodate various learners’ needs.
To maximize the potential of technology in the classroom, it must make learning engaging and enjoyable for students. Interactive smart boards, videos, games, and simulators are some tools that can engage students when effectively integrated into teaching practices.
Civil society organizations (CSOs) in Egypt are major advocates and providers of digital connectivity and training for the community. CSOs are well-positioned to target disadvantaged populations and provide them with access to digital learning opportunities.
The private sector invests significantly and plays an important role in developing the skills of Egyptian educators and young people. This investment is considered an investment in the future of Egypt, which can translate to skills, jobs and sustainable development.
Notable figures who opened the event were H.E. Dr Reda Hegazy, Minister of Education and Technical Education, H.E. Dr Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, and Dr Nuria Sanz, Officer in Charge of the UNESCO Regional Office for Egypt and Sudan.
Representatives from MoETE, PAT, the National Academy of Information Technology for Persons with Disabilities, Huawei Egypt, the Misr El Kheir Foundation, the Central Department for Digital Community Development at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and the Egyptian National Commission for UNESCO were also in attendance. Participants from UN agencies, development partners, academia, civil society organizations, teachers’ unions and education technology companies joined the event as well.
Links to the 2023 GEM Report:
