It is undeniable that we live in a fast-paced world where we have an abundance of technology and information at our fingertips.
Technology has provided the answer for millions of children who have had to stay at home during the pandemic. On-line learning has been a crucial way for education to be delivered since the outbreak of Covid-19. It has become a means for children and young adults to communicate, learn, share information and to express themselves. However, there is an indisputable digital divide in Brazil. It’s a fact that there is an inequity of opportunity in accessing digital platforms. Low income families cannot afford to buy appropriate computer equipment. In poorer communities digitally well equipped schools are in short supply, meaning that children are excluded from a resource that is of paramount importance to learning and development. Research by Undime (National Union of Municipal Directors of Education, Brazil) states that 48.7% of municipal teaching networks have registered that students experience difficulties accessing the internet, and 24.1% of teachers experience the same difficulty.
Economic inequality is one of the most pressing issues facing the country and especially in the poorer regions. “Private companies do not have the financial motivation to invest in poorer areas, leaving these communities even further away from the benefits of the digital world.” With this divide, social exclusion is only exacerbated. Certainly educational efficiency is stunted without staying up to date with the newest technological advancements.
Happy Child’s partners work with the purpose of offering children and young people educational opportunities to progress their learning. The provision of technology to support and aid schooling is helping them to close this educational gap in the communities where they work. Help our work continue to provide vital opportunities for children and young people. You can support Happy Child by donating today. Thank you.
-Poppy Sullivan