The launch of the National Distance Learning Centre for the Continuous Professional Development of Educators in Egypt, as part of the UNESCO-Huawei Technology-enabled Open Schools for All project, highlights the commitment to improving digital education capabilities and ensuring learning continuity in both normal and crisis conditions.
The UNESCO-Huawei International Forum on Digital Platforms and Competencies for Teachers served as a platform for Egypt’s Ministry of Education to officially launch the National Distance Learning Centre for the Continuous Professional Development of Educators. This learning center is a significant development in the UNESCO-Huawei Technology-enabled Open Schools for All project, which is being implemented in Egypt, Ghana, and Ethiopia from 2020 to 2023.
Dr. Reda Hegazy, Minister of Education and Technical Education, expressed his gratitude to UNESCO and Huawei for their support and for choosing Egypt as a partner in the Open Schools Project. He commended the accomplishments made by the Open Schools project in cooperation with the Professional Academy for Teachers and the UNESCO Office in Cairo, emphasizing the notable achievements in capacity building, enrichment training courses for teachers, various digital platforms, and the establishment of the National Center for Distance Education.
The TeOSS project, implemented in partnership with the ministries of education in Egypt, Ethiopia, and Ghana, aims to pilot and test digital education platforms, provide training in digital skills for teachers and students, develop policy frameworks for digital education, and evaluate the project’s efficacy for potential scaling out to other African nations. In Egypt alone, 300 teachers have received training in digital skills through the project, and the new learning center will enhance distance learning and digital literacy capabilities for 950,000 K-12 educators in underserved communities.
Sobhi Tawil, Director of the Future of Learning and Innovation Team at UNESCO, praised the cooperation with the Ministry of Education in Egypt and its role in supporting future horizons. He highlighted the impact of Huawei’s project to enable open schools and raise digital learning competencies, which has contributed to improving the quality of education, ensuring access and continuity of education in Egypt, Ethiopia, and Ghana. Tawil also emphasized that Egypt was one of the first countries to implement the digital learning initiative, and the opening of the National Center for Distance Education represents a significant step in digital transformation.
The TeOSS project’s focus on blending online and offline learning is crucial for maximizing education outcomes and ensuring learning continuity, especially during crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to widespread school closures. By building digital education capabilities at a national level, countries can mitigate disruptions to learning and ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
Huawei’s involvement in the project aligns with its long-term digital inclusion and sustainability initiative, TECH4ALL. The education domain of TECH4ALL is dedicated to developing tech-driven solutions that contribute to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
In conclusion, the launch of the National Distance Learning Centre for the Continuous Professional Development of Educators in Egypt, as part of the UNESCO-Huawei Technology-enabled Open Schools for All project, signifies a significant step towards enhancing digital education capabilities and ensuring learning continuity. This initiative, implemented in partnership with ministries of education and supported by Huawei’s TECH4ALL initiative, is a testament to the commitment to providing inclusive and quality education for all.
