After decades of conflict that have battered the country and its education system, leaders in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have taken a crucial step toward improving education by updating national education standards and the school curriculum.
I believe there is a momentous opportunity now to address the global lack of access to educational materials, using digital technology. The growth of mobile networks across developing countries has boomed in recent years; over the past year alone, mobile telecommunications services in developing nations have grown 78%, and 39% of the developing world now has access to 3G networks.
Now that we are in the 21st century, information is becoming more open, available, and easy to exchange. Even in some of the most remote and disadvantaged places on earth, wireless internet technology is bringing the world to people who may never leave their village. Today more than ever, creating educational resources that are free to access and use can change the face of development, and the world, forever.
Most people remember reading one or two Dr. Seuss books in school as they grew up and many credit Dr. Seuss with sparking their love of reading. International Literacy Day is September 8, 2012 and a perfect day to share how reading opened your eyes to world full of meaning and expression.
Think about your favorite book. Now think about how everything about you might have changed because you never were able to read it--the stop sign on the corner; the instructions on a food carton. Today, almost 800 million adults are illiterate - that is unacceptable.
August 1, 2011
July 29, 2011
