EDUCATION IN THE DIGITAL AGE

The World Health Organization has declared Covid-19 as a pandemic that has posed a contemporarythreat to humanity. This pandemic has successfully forced global shutdown of several activities, includingeducational activities.The COVID-19 pandemic was a forceful reminder that education plays an importantrole in delivering not just academic learning, but also in supporting physical and emotional well-being.Education and the acquisition of skills are crucial to solving some of the world’s most pressing problems.Education is a basic right that promotes other rights such as health and civic participation. It is key tounlocking the developmental potential of children, communities, and countries. An educated workforcecan help lift people out of poverty, reduce premature mortality, strengthen gender equality, and promotecivic participation. Children must also learn skills that can be flexible and adaptable in the age ofuncertainty and economic change. Workers will need breadth of skills such as literacy and numeracy aswell as the ability to think critically and to solve problems collaboratively. In the digital age, citizens mustbe prepared to respond to the challenges presented by globalization, climate change, health epidemics,and economic uncertainty. The world needs to urgently rethink the way education is done, how it isdelivered, and what skills children will need in a digital age to become healthy and productive membersof society. Many agree that the delivery of education to marginalized children must be improved. It isevident that online learning is different from emergency remote teaching, online learning will be moresustainable while instructional activities will become more hybrid provided the challenges experiencedduring this pandemic are well explored and transformed to opportunities. However, there is littleconsensus on how to do so in a way that best reflects the challenges and opportunities facing youngpeople today and on why education systems have largely failed to adapt to ensure that all children arereceiving the support and learning opportunities they need.