With some 400 million internet users in Southeast Asia, the region is set to initiate technology reforms.
With some 400 million internet users in Southeast Asia, the region is set to initiate technology reforms.
Technology is transforming the delivery of education in Southeast Asia despite disparities in access and adoption across the region, according to the Global Education Monitoring Report at UNESCO and the Southeast Asia Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO).
The report titled “A Tool on Whose Terms?” highlights that the benefits of technological advancements in education have been uneven, dependent on factors such as community, socioeconomic level, and teacher preparedness.
Introduced during the 46th High Officials Meeting of SEAMEO, the report acknowledges the improved accessibility to learning and connectivity, especially in remote areas and during emergencies, due to technology.
However, it emphasizes that technology is not a universal solution to major education challenges and requires evidence of its potential to enhance teaching and learning.
Southeast Asia has prioritized technology reform for socioeconomic development, with some 400 million internet users in the region. In 2020 alone, around 40 million individuals accessed the internet for the first time.
Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam experienced significant growth in new learners on Coursera, a massive open online course provider, with almost 3 million enrollments in 2021.
There is a significant disparity in internet connectivity among students in Southeast Asia, with those from the wealthiest households being nearly eight times more likely to have internet access at home compared to students from the poorest households. Additionally, only half of rural primary schools in the region are connected to the internet.
Datuk Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim, director of the SEAMEO Secretariat, said: “The report seeks to be our resource as we navigate the digital transformation in South-East Asia. It highlights the immense potential technology holds to revolutionize learning, foster innovative teaching methodologies, increase accessibility and inclusion, and improve education governance. However, it also sheds light on the challenges that demand our attention – issues of equity, access, governance and regulations, and the need for adaptable policies in the face of rapid technological advancements.”
Sara Duterte, vice president and secretary of education in the Philippines and SEAMEO council president, said the integration of technology in education should go beyond tools and platforms and should focus on how learners engage, learn, and thrive.
Duterte highlighted the importance of relevance, evidence-based practices, scalability, sustainability, and accommodation of diverse needs and contexts in implementing educational technology.
Rigorous evaluation processes are often absent, and the available evidence may not be tailored to the specific context of Southeast Asia. Notably, a significant proportion of educational technology (edtech) companies operating in Indonesia, less than 10%, could provide evidence substantiating the effectiveness of their products.
Estimates indicate that the costs associated with connecting all schools in lower-middle-income countries in the region to the internet could amount to approximately US$18 billion.
“Discussions about education technology tend to focus on technology as a generic solution. They should focus on what are the education problems that need to be solved – and only then should it be asked whether technology can help tackle these problems,” said Manos Antoninis, director of the Global Education Monitoring Report.
A campaign called #TechOnOurTerms, aligned with the report, advocates for a learner-centered approach to digital education. In the past, programs were implemented in countries such as the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand to ensure that each student in schools had access to a personal learning device.
However, in Thailand, a program that distributed over 800,000 tablets to primary schools was later discontinued due to implementation challenges. During the event, learners and teacher representatives emphasized the importance of equitable access to digital education tools and resources.
For the potential of technology in education to be fulfilled, the report highlighted three conditions as necessary: equitable access to technology, appropriate governance and regulation, and sufficient teacher capacity.
Regulations must be in place to protect children’s well-being. In Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, 70% of surveyed adolescents reported upsetting online experiences.
Meanwhile, about 30% of students in Vietnam reported increasing distractions from social media and games while using technology to study. Consequently, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, and Vietnam have implemented restrictions on the use of smartphones in schools.
In countries such as Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam, nearly one-third of primary school teachers reported feeling ‘not very’ or ‘not at all’ confident in using ICT in 2019.
The Cambodian Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, in collaboration with six higher education institutions, has launched the Digital Skills Development Program designed to enhance collaboration and promote the advancement of digital education in the country.
The ministry announced the initiative and the signing of a memorandum of understanding to foster the development of digital skills in partnership with various education institutions.
UNESCO has called for governments to take urgent action in response to the lack of national or international regulation around technology’s growing presence in education. Government negligence, the organization warns, could have dire consequences.
UNESCO has warned that proper governance and regulation of technology in education is lacking, and has called on countries to create rules for the design and use of technology in schools so its application does not supersede in-person teacher instruction. The organization’s goal is to ensure quality education worldwide.
