Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
INTERVIEW UNICEF highlights digital technology to tackle global learning crisis
Pia Britto, UNICEF's Global Director of Education and Adolescent Development, poses with students at an event during a vaccination campaign at Vientiane center in Vietnam, May 20. Courtesy of UNICEF
By Jung Da-hyun
Agency calls for education investment, cites Korea's digital education as model
Amid a global learning crisis where millions of children are unable to read a simple sentence, UNICEF is advocating for the use of digital technology as a solution. It also emphasizes the need for countries to significantly increase their education budgets, considering it a critical long-term investment.
"Korea can lead by example, given its strong educational infrastructure and high literacy rates, which are supported by robust government backing," Pia Britto, UNICEF's Global Director of Education and Adolescent Development, said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.
At the same time, she underscored the importance of adequately informing students and parents on how to use digital technology effectively in the education field, acknowledging potential concerns about its integration into learning.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already dire learning crisis," Britto said, expressing concern over the growing challenges global society faces.
According to UNICEF, seven out of 10 children living in low- and middle-income countries cannot read or understand a simple sentence by age 10. Despite attending school, many of these children fail to acquire the basic skills necessary for success in education and later in life.
The situation is particularly alarming in sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly 90 percent of children lack basic reading comprehension skills. Globally, the number of children out of school stands at approximately 250 million.
"The heart-breaking reality is that most children who cannot read by age 10 will struggle ever to master the skill," Britto said, emphasizing the urgency of addressing this crisis.
"Catching up becomes increasingly difficult, making it crucial for every country to prioritize this learning crisis."
Pia Britto, fifth from right, UNICEF's Global Director of Education and Adolescent Development, poses with Park Sung-min, fifth from left, head of the Office of Planning and Coordination at the education ministry, and other education and economic authorities after the 11th Education ODA International Conference at a hotel in downtown Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of UNICEF
In response to the global learning crisis, education and economic leaders, including UNICEF, convened at an official development assistance conference organized by Korea's Ministry of Education on Thursday.
The conference brought together international organizations to explore how key stakeholders in the development and humanitarian sectors can collaborate to tackle global education inequality through the use of digital technology.
UNICEF and other participants focused on how digital tools can play a pivotal role in closing the education gap.
Britto highlighted that Korea's educational framework can be a potential model for addressing the crisis.
"Korea's integration of information and communication technology has modernized its education system," she said.
"This emphasis on digital learning tools and platforms offers a blueprint for other countries looking to enhance their educational infrastructure and accessibility."
Britto further noted that by sharing technical expertise and providing assistance in education technology, countries like Korea can help developing nations modernize their education systems.
"Korea's advancements in digital learning tools and platforms can serve as a valuable resource," she added.
Key to digital education success
Recently, Korea has been advancing its public education system with a plan to embrace cutting-edge technology.
On June 8 this year, the education ministry announced the AI Digital Textbook Promotion Plan, an initiative designed to increase educational accessibility for all students and accelerate the ministry's digital transformation efforts.
Under this plan, AI-powered textbooks will be introduced for subjects such as math, English, informatics and Korean starting next year.
These digital textbooks are expected to offer significant benefits, including personalized learning experiences tailored to each student's data.
The initiative also includes features like screen captions, subtitles and multilingual translations to support students and teachers in special education and those from multicultural backgrounds.
Education authorities believe these advancements will enhance the overall learning experience and ensure that education is more inclusive and accessible to all.
While emphasizing the advantages of digital technology in expanding access to education, Britto also stressed the importance of aligning understanding between stakeholders, including the government, students, teachers and parents.
"Digital technology has the potential to bridge educational gaps, such as by helping children with disabilities through features like text-to-audio conversion," she said.
"However, for the successful implementation of these tools, it is crucial that the intention behind their use is clearly communicated and embraced by the public, including students, teachers and parents."
As a nongovernmental organization, UNICEF emphasizes that addressing the global learning crisis requires strong cooperation and support from governments, local leaders and communities.
Britto mentioned Korea's educational history as a powerful example on the global stage, particularly for countries grappling with severe learning challenges.
"To improve education systems for children, it's essential to establish effective initiatives supported by flexible financial resources," she said.
She emphasized that governments need to view education budgets as long-term investments.
"It's like steering a massive ship — significant outcomes can't be expected overnight. This is a long-term goal, and Korea serves as a model that proves it can work."