The GEM Report partnered with Restless Development to mobilize youth globally to inform the development of the youth edition of the 2023 GEM Report, exploring how technology can address various education challenges, including issues of access, equity, inclusion, quality, technology advancement, and system management.

A series of youth-led regional consultations are being organized in January and February this year aiming to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing young people from around the world when using technology in education and to hear their recommendations for policymakers. They will build on the youth consultations that Restless Development managed on the same issue in the run-up to the RewirED Summit in 2021.

The consultations will focus on two out of the four recommendations of the 2023 GEM Report on technology in education: A tool on whose terms? which was published in Montevideo on 26 July 2023. The first recommendation under the spotlight is the call to make sure that the use of technology in education is appropriate for the context; the second calls for the use of technology not to leave learners behind.

The outcomes of the regional consultations will be consolidated into inputs that will feed into the 2024 Youth Report on technology published by the GEM Report team. This is a substantial and exciting change in the way youth reports are prepared, and we hope it will lead to a youth-led call to action reiterating the need for learners and teachers to be at the center of all decisions involving the use of technology in education.

Meet our regional leads and take note of the consultation date in your region

Dawsher Charles from Trinidad and Tobago is the founder of the Survival Scholars organization, which empowers and equips students through the arts and storytelling with quality education in social and emotional skills. Survival Scholars works closely with parent organizations, teachers and school principals across different countries from the Caribbean. Their network extends to institutions like the Caribbean Development Bank and the Future Leaders Network, ensuring access to relevant expertise and resources. They have also established connections with the 12 USAID Youth Ambassadors from various Caribbean nations, allowing us to tap into a wide range of perspectives and experiences.

Consultation date: 20 January

Adelisa Sejtanic is originally from Bosnia Herzegovina but now based in Madrid. She is an International Relations graduate with experience in digital skills development for primary education teachers and students in vulnerable environments. Her previous work experience as a global partnerships and international relations intern at ProFuturo allowed her to collect experience on the use of technology in education in different regions. This is a digital education programme promoted by Telefónica Foundation and ¨la Caixa¨ Foundation to narrow the education gap in the world by improving the quality of education for millions of children living in vulnerable environments of Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia. Adelisa holds a Master’s Degree in Decision Making and Innovation from the Camilo José Cela University in Madrid.

Consultation date: 17 January

Rosario Díaz Garavito is the founder and executive director of The Millennials Movement, a youth lead civil society organization based in the Latin American and Caribbean Region that promotes citizens engagement to achieve SDG 4. The Millennials Movement actions are delivered in 16 countries of the Latin American and Caribbean Region through their network of 300+ local and regional allies and they currently serve as the Elected Focal Point for the Children, Adolescents and Youth Group of the Latin American and the Caribbean Civil Society Engagement Mechanism of the 2030 Agenda. Rosario holds a Master of Arts in International Development and Policy at the Harris School of Public Policy from the University of Chicago.

Consultation date: 30 January

Yasmein Abdelghany from Egypt has more than six years of experience working as an educational technology specialist and teaching assistant. She has extensive experience in leading regional and global youth-led organizations with Restless Development and Dubai Cares as part of the Rewired Summit, UNESCO’s SDG 4 Youth Network, IEASALC, and the UN Global Compact amongst others. Currently she is the UNESCO MENA region youth representative for the UNESCO SDG 4 Youth Network for the period 2023-2025. Yasmein is currently pursuing a Masters in Educational Technology at the Zagazig University

Consultation date: 13 January

Titiksha Vashist from India is the co-founder and lead researcher at the Pranava Institute which works at the intersection of emerging technology, public policy, and society. Her work focuses on emerging tech regulation and the socio-political implications of the use of technology in education. She also leads the work on Youth and Digital Media at the Institute, which seeks to create Open Educational Resources (OERs) for youth to co-create a better digital future for everyone. Titiksha has a Master of Art in Political Science and International Relations from the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Consultation dates: 18 and 25 January

Phuong Tran is pursuing her PhD at the School of International Development and Global Studies at the University of Ottawa, Canada. Her research interests include SDG4b, aid to education, soft power, educational equity, and decolonial studies with a focus on Southeast Asia. Phuong has been involved in several youth programmes including the Youth Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative in the Philippines, the Indian Youth Exchange Program in India as an ASEAN Delegate and the ASEF Youth Leader Program.

Consultation dates: 20 January

Two additional consultations are being planned in Africa on 30 January by Restless Development and in the Pacific in February. A final consultation summarizing the findings from all regions will be organized by Restless Development, the GEM Report and other partners in early 2024.

What can you expect if you join a regional consultation?

Each consultation will bring together remotely 50 youth representatives from the region to discuss issues related to the relevant and equitable use of technology in education in their respective regions. The consultations will be held in local languages and will bring young representatives from different groups and constituencies.

If you are interested in taking part we invite you to visit the 2024 Youth Report page for more information about the consultations and to keep informed about outreach and dissemination activities of the youth report in the coming months!