التكنولوجيا وأخبارها بوابة مصر لأخبار تكنولوجيا المعلومات والإتصالات
partnership to map school internet connectivity
Three-year initiative to identify connectivity gaps in 35
countries is a critical first step in connecting every school to
the internet
Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) and UNICEF announced today a
global partnership to help map school connectivity in 35
countries by the end of 2023. Mapping the internet
connectivity landscape for schools and their surrounding
communities is a critical first step towards providing every
child with access to digital learning opportunities.
This joint effort is part of the Giga initiative. Launched last
year and led by UNICEF and the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU), Giga aims to connect
every school to the internet. Ericsson is the first private
sector partner to make a multimillion-dollar commitment to
the initiative and does so as a Global UNICEF Partner for
School Connectivity Mapping.
According to the ITU, 360 million young people currently do
not have access to the internet. This results in exclusion,
fewer resources to learn, and limited opportunities for the
most vulnerable children and youth to fulfill their potential.
Improved connectivity will increase access to information,
opportunity, and choice, enabling generations of school
children to take part in shaping their own futures.
“The deepening digital divide is one of the many
inequalities that the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored,”
said Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, Deputy Executive Director,
Partnerships, UNICEF. “School closures, coupled with
limited or non-existent opportunities for remote learning,
have upended children’s education worldwide. Our
partnership with Ericsson will bring us closer to giving
every child and young person access to digital learning
opportunities.”
In addition to funding, Ericsson will commit resources for
data engineering and data science capacity to accelerate
school connectivity mapping. Specifically, Ericsson will
assist with the collection, validation, analysis, monitoring
and visual representation of real-time school connectivity
data. The data generated through the mapping will enable
governments and the private sector to design and deploy
digital solutions that enable learning for children and young
people. Ericsson will also engage its extensive customer
base to further advance the goals of the Giga initiative.
“Ericsson is uniquely positioned to be a key partner in
helping address this important issue due to our technology
expertise, global scale, decades of experience in
public/private partnerships, and proven results connecting
students and educators,” said Heather Johnson, Vice
President of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility,
Ericsson. “Working together with partners, like UNICEF and
the ITU, amplifies the potential impact of school
connectivity and is a concrete first step in helping bridge
the digital divide globally.”
“ITU brings a history of technology policy advocacy and
regulatory expertise to the vital mission of connecting
every school in the world,” said Doreen Bogdan-Martin,
Director, ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau.
“We are thrilled that Ericsson will join Giga and help build
the mapping tools necessary to make connecting every
school a reality.”
The UNICEF-Ericsson partnership also contributes to the
Generation Unlimited Global Breakthrough on Digital
Connectivity that aims to give young people digital skills so
they can fully and meaningfully participate in the digital
economy. Generation Unlimited is a global multi-sector
partnership to meet the urgent need for expanded
education, training and employment opportunities for
young people. Additionally, the partnership supports
UNICEF’s recent COVID-19 Agenda for Action in which the
organization called for global action to keep children
learning, thereby requiring the prioritization of internet
connectivity in rural and remote areas.
Follow our progress and see current school mapping efforts
at www.projectconnect.world. Or, for more information on
this important initiative and how to get involved, please
visit www.gigaconnect.org.
RELATED PODCAST:
Listen to a podcast interview with Heather Johnson, Head
Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility at Ericsson, and
Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, Deputy Executive Director for
Partnerships at UNICEF, about how the partners are
accelerating school connectivity:
https://soundcloud.com/ericsson-news-podcast/ericsson-
and-unicef-to-accelerate-school-connectivity
