Technology Can Improve Education in Developing Countries

Education is about knowledge gain. Knowledge is the most essential tool used for personal growth. There is no doubt that good education has the power to change lives. One should be educated to have a happy and prosperous life by gaining respect from society and obtain a successful career.  However, when you look at the bigger picture, education also helps countries to grow economically and cherish with prosperity. As governments have understood the importance of offering education solutions to their citizens to sustain a bright future for future generations, they are investing more than ever before for it. Education is important for children as they are the future of the world and represent the pillars a nation develops on. It is the most powerful tool to make the world a better place.

Yet, the biggest challenge for education policymakers is to provide access and ensure the process of education in unprivileged areas. Developing countries are dealing with poverty and isolation which eliminates any chance for young and older individuals to have access to education. Those areas have kids who do not even know what it is like to step inside a classroom leading to lack of written communication skills and poor intellectual baggage.

Poverty and education are strongly linked leading to a vicious circle. Individuals living in poor areas do not attend schools so they can work and earn money or essentials for survival. The extreme disparities in educational opportunities among different schools, areas, or students develop into serious social and economic tensions and an unequal world.

Educational specialists suggest using technology to reduce the education gap between poor and wealthy areas around the world. Some people believe that there are a lot of drawbacks of technology, but there is no doubt that when it comes to education, it offers huge potential. Nowadays, the digital revolution which we live in has offered access to the internet and electronic devices to billions of individuals from all over the world. Young generations from today are born in a world where social media, mobile technology, and other online communities are essential for learning, communicating, and developing. As technology is a powerful development tool, it should be used in the global battle for uniformizing educational opportunities around the whole globe.

How poverty affects education

In underdeveloped areas, where individuals are struggling with poverty and low resources of any type, the cycle of poverty has tremendous long-term effects. The education system is usually for free almost in every corner of the world. However, the additional costs linked to education seem to be the problems that lead to the lack of educational opportunities. Costs for uniforms, books, transportation, and even the salaries of professors eliminate the chance for poor areas to have access to proper education.  

The fact that public education is less available influences the lives of numerous individuals who are unable to broaden their horizons and develop into well-shaped adults. Also, by analyzing the cycle of poverty and education, we are able to notice that areas where access to education is limited tend to remain poor. Societies lack educated individuals who can invest and find solutions for the problems of their communities as they do not have the knowledge and skills necessary for it.  Poor communities remain undeveloped as they lack the leaders who can make changes for modernization and growth.

Technology to overcome the education gap

While for some students going to school or university seems like a normal thing, others from unprivileged areas do not even understand the concept of education. Educators from all grade-levels have realized the ways education can benefit from technology in the classroom. The rise of educational technology might be the best chance to help individuals from developing countries to have access to knowledge.

Reducing or even eliminating the education gap between wealthy and poor communities has become a global challenge that more and more people, companies, and organizations are joining. Several tech companies have launched global initiatives to increase access to technology for individuals who live in poor areas. Nonprofit organizations are encouraging individuals to join their cause and travel to those areas to help young generations get educated. A global community of teachers, parents, students, governments, institutions, and businesses work together to find the best solutions for helping learners with low possibilities to gain access to quality education.

Technology brings individuals into contact with the broader world by opening new doors to education and vocational training. Moreover, the use of online education is a cost-effective one which makes it a great tool to help developing areas educate their young generations for a brighter future. Technological solutions such as the internet, artificial intelligence, electronic devices, and online learning classes help students from all over the world to get in contact with specialists who can share their knowledge and skills. Moreover, individuals from poor areas would no longer be limited to traditional concepts of education. By being able to study any subject they are interested in such as finances, history, chemistry, or foreign languages, they will also be able to make their own career choices for their future. The rise of technology and the outstanding increasing presence of both students and courses online combined with the low costs for online education can help developing countries to ensure educational opportunities for all their individuals.

New technology and new learning models are offering unthinkable possibilities to students and educators from all over the world. Low resource, poor, rural, and isolated communities need help and guidance for gaining equal education opportunities and technology is a promising solution for it.   Education has a significant role in fighting poverty in underdeveloped areas. By educating the young generation, children are given the power to dream of a better future and confidently invest in it as they no longer feel embarrassed for being uneducated. Developing countries deal with serious social and economic problems such as malnutrition, low standards of health, and gender inequality. Education is the key to escape the cycle of poverty by empowering individuals with culture, education, human emotions, and life values.