Country : Panama

Comittee : United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

Topic : Increasing accessibility to E-learning during the pandemic

During the pandemic, around 219.000 state school students in Panama lack the
resources to connect distance learning environments. Obstacles to cell access, internet, and
other technologies are a problem for most children and adolescents in Panama. Only
Panamanians with good access to mobile phones and the internet, most of whom live in the
city and use prepaid services, can follow long-distance learning. According the government,
around 96% of the population have phone access, but cell service is only available in 38% of the
country. Only 16.6% are contracted and only 11% have regular broadband access.

The government in Panama launched the Conectate con la Estrella project, which
broadcasts learning on TV and radio media. However, just a few schools can access learning
through such media. Between May and July 2020, only 831 of the 3.179 schools in the country
have successfully implemented several long-distance learning methods. The Ministry of
Educational Panama, Maruja Gorday told AFP that schools will reopen gradually, progressively,
and safely during the pandemic.

Since the pandemic, 24 UNICEF countries in Latin America have supported the
ministries of education in developing multi sectoral responses, including curriculum
prioritization, teacher training and distance learning programs. 42 million students in Latin
America have been receiving UNICEF supported distance and home-based learning through
radio, TV, internet and other platforms. TV and radio play an important role in educational
response for children without internet access and poor household.

Challenge for educational institutions is not only finding something new technology and
methods but also reimagining its education, helping students and staff academic who are
seeking guidance for digital literacy.

1. Protect education financing and coordinate for impact

2. Build resilient education system for equitable and sustainable development
3. Reimagine education and accelerate change in teaching and learning.

1
https://www.unicef.org/lac/media/18256/file/Education-on-hold-web-0711.pdf
2
https://elfaro.net/en/202009/internacionales/24779/Online-Classes-Offline-Students-
%E2%80%94-A-Pandemic-of-Inequality-in-Panama.htm
3
https://blogs.worldbank.org/education/covid-19-and-learning-crisis-latin-america-and-
caribbean-how-can-we-prevent-tragedy