UNESCO and Huawei announced the launch of their joint project “Technology-enabled Open School Systems for All” (TeOSS) in Egypt, Ghana, and Ethiopia.
The project was unveiled at an online event attended by Reda Hegazy, Deputy Minister for Teachers’ Affairs of the Egyptian Ministry of Education and Technical Education; Stefania Giannini, UNESCO’S Assistant Director-General for Education; and key education officials from Ethiopia, Ghana, and China.
“Egypt’s new education system 2.0 emphasizes the integration of technology into the educational process through multiple digital learning resources and platforms to ensure education for all and achieve educational quality and access,” said Hegazy. “The teacher’s role has shifted from providing information to being a guide and facilitator of education through digital resources.”
The project intends to power the digital transformation of education and support UNESCO member states in building resilient education systems that can withstand global disruptions such as COVID-19. The multi-country initiative helps to advance the Sustainable Development Goal 4 on Education.
Giannini commented: “This project is about building the digital futures of school education. It is defined by digital school models that make education programmes accessible for all students whether in times of crisis or not.”
In Egypt, TeOSS will harness ICT solutions and practices to help build resilient teaching systems that link school and home-based learning. It will empower beneficiaries through enhanced connectivity, digital skills, and professional development over a period of three years.
Concretely, UNESCO Cairo office will support the establishment of a distance learning centre which will serve K-12 teachers, principals and supervisors. The center will be under the umbrella of the Professional Academy for Teachers (PAT). The project is envisioned to benefit 950,000 K-12 educators.