Corporate Social Responsibility

Transforming ICT in Education in the Pacific

FOR MANY PEOPLE, EDUCATION ABRUPTLY CAME TO A HALT DUE TO COVID-19, CAUSING A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF LEARNING AROUND THE WORLD. A REDR AUSTRALIA DEPLOYEE WITH THE AUSTRALIA ASSISTS PROGRAM, PETER, HELPED STRENGTHEN THE PACIFIC’S TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITY IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR IN 2020 THAT HAS GIVEN TEACHERS THE SKILLS AND ABILITY TO DELIVER LEARNING ONLINE THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND BEYOND.

For many people, education abruptly came to a halt due to COVID-19, causing a significant loss of learning around the world. A RedR Australia deployee with the Australia Assists program, Peter, helped strengthen the Pacific’s technological capability in the education sector in 2020 that has given teachers the skills and ability to deliver learning online through the pandemic and beyond. To date, the Pacific Islands have been largely untouched by the health impacts of COVID-19, but the economic impact to the region is set to be one of the most severe in the world. Closed borders have kept the virus largely out of the Pacific but it has also kept tourists out too. An estimated AUD 5 billion in additional surplus is needed in the next few years for the region to recover.

This means governments now have less financial capacity to invest in education and training. The education systems, which are already under-resourced, were exposed by the pandemic, with schools and higher education facilities closing their doors during lockdown periods. Without the right technology and digital infrastructure in place, such as broadband access and computers, there was no continuity to access education when a crisis or disaster hit.

In partnership with the Australian Government, Peter commenced work in June with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to ensure a longer-term vision for the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education in the Pacific.

After leading an education organisation in Hong Kong, Peter was en-route to Samoa via Australia when COVID-19 struck. As the borders closed, Peter based himself in Australia and began working remotely.

Australia Assists deployee, Peter, collaborating with colleagues via Zoom in his role as ICT in Education Specialist with UNESCO.

The education systems, which are already underresourced, were exposed by the pandemic, with schools and higher education facilities closing their doors during lockdown periods. Without the right technology and digital infrastructure in place, such as broadband access and computers, there was no continuity to access education when a crisis or disaster hit.

In the Pacific, many teachers and students can only access online learning tools using their phones.

One of the biggest challenges was enabling access for students and teachers to devices so teaching could take place, explained Peter.

"A digital learning environment, or faceto-face ICT curriculum that does not put technology in the hands of students, is doomed, as would be a music program that doesn’t allow students to play instruments or a sports programme without equipment."

"We found that many teachers had access to Facebook so we used this channel to deliver some learning resources for teachers."

"Unreliable internet connections have been a major barrier so working with internet service providers like Digicel, Vodafone and others has been essential to develop online solutions and put mobile networks in place to deliver online education."

As part of Peter’s role, he helped set up a Lifelong Learning Lab in Samoa, where people can access training and education networks, making access to quality education more inclusive. The Lifelong Learning Lab is funded by the India-UN Development Partnership Fund through the UN Office for the South-South Cooperation as part of UNESCO’s Samoa Knowledge Society Initiative.

"This is a place where people can go for training, mentoring, creating and collaboration. Once opened, it will enable teachers, secondary students, health practitioners, ICT professionals, women, youth and entrepreneurs to innovate, learn, collaborate and be better prepared to maintain continuity of work, advance their careers and learn through pandemics, disasters or crises."

"There has being a special focus in developing the Learning Lab to be inclusive, ensuring women and people with disabilities have access to the centre where they can be mentored and trained, accessing distance learning online and experience some face-toface learning." "The Lab will be a centre for streaming and producing ICT in Education courses, micro- credentials and training for healthcare workers, farmers, youth and marginalised groups."

Peter’s deployment has laid the foundation to advance the quality and accessibility of education to students in the Pacific, enabling learning to continue wherever students and teachers might find themselves, despite crises or disasters.

Lisa Symth RedR

If you would like to find out more about becoming a humanitarian by joining the RedR Australia roster, building your skills through our training courses or donating to RedR Australia, visit redr.org.au.

RedR Australia deployees support education around the world. Australia Assists deployee, Axelle, worked in Myanmar with UNICEF supporting information management and communications related to the implementation of education services in response to the Rohingya crisis.