One of the main challenges facing Latin American countries is to extend meaningful and affordable connectivity throughout the territory. In the digital era, accelerated by the crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic, forced virtuality highlighted the significant gaps faced by a significant number of households and schools and, consequently, the relevance of having meaningful connectivity – with appropriate and regular speed, sufficient data and access to affordable devices – for educational purposes. In other words, access to quality connectivity was installed as a fundamental need to guarantee quality education.
In 2021, the Inter-American Dialogue, together with the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, launched a new initiative with the ultimate goal of informing and supporting strategies to ensure meaningful connectivity to improve educational processes in Latin American countries. In 2022, the initiative focused on the challenges and opportunities of the connectivity agenda in rural and isolated areas. As a result of an extensive research and consultation process, two products were published: a report documenting key cases, challenges and opportunities to advance the agenda and a call to action, which prompted a regional campaign to address the access gaps that exist in rural areas.
In its second phase, in 2023, the initiative expanded its focus to create conditions for all schools and households to access online and technology-mediated learning opportunities. Within this framework, the Latin American Forum for Educational Connectivity reflected the need to bring together key players in the Latin American educational and digital ecosystem to drive the digital transformation and innovation needed for 21st century education, through three thematic areas: I) strategies to connect and equip schools, II) affordable and quality connectivity, and III) content and platform development.
The group aims to promote a campaign to close gaps in access to meaningful connectivity for educational purposes and thus promote access to connectivity as a fundamental and universal right to ensure quality education. This initiative is made up of representatives of governments, the private sector, civil society leaders, experts in technology, connectivity and education, universities, international organizations and cooperation agencies.
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