Unintended Consequences of Ed-Tech's Pandemic Surge: A UNESCO Report

The UNESCO report 'An-Edtech tragedy' outlines the adverse effects of the abrupt shift to educational technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. It describes how technology-first solutions left many learners behind and diminished the quality of education. The report also provides recommendations to ensure technology supports inclusive and equitable education in the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the global educational system to rapidly adopt ed-tech solutions, leading to unprecedented consequences, UNESCO's education team revealed in a new report.

The report, titled 'An-Edtech tragedy,' delves into the negative impacts of this shift, highlighting how technology-first approaches left many learners behind and compromised educational quality even when technology functioned correctly.

UNESCO experts warned that the pandemic's disruption would have lasting effects on education and called for using technology in ways that support universal, inclusive, and equitable education.

The study noted that millions had to depend entirely on technology for formal learning, exacerbating inequities and reducing academic progress.

It also pointed out that automation replacing human interactions and the privatization of education posed additional risks to education as a public good.

(With inputs from agencies.)