The UIS launched a regional survey in 40 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to collect data on the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in education.
Demand for data on the topic has never been greater. Countries, in the region, in cooperation with ECLAC (Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean), have set up a regional policy framework (eLAC) to promote the information society. In this regard, several governments and financial backers such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) are investing heavily to bring the region’s education systems in line with the demands of the 21st-century knowledge society. Indicators are needed to properly assess the progress of these initiatives.
To respond to this demand for statistics, the UIS launched a regional survey to collect data on the degree to which ICT are incorporated into education systems of the countries involved. The survey questionnaire was drawn up using the Guide to Measuring Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Education, published in 2009 by the Institute. Questions cover the presence of audiovisual media, computers and the Internet in schools. “Cell phones are not included in the questionnaire because their use in schools is not as widespread internationally. What’s more, there are no conclusive studies to date on their role in education,” according to Claude Akpabie, a UIS specialist on communication and information statistics.
This data collection is part of the follow-up to the World Summits on the Information Society, which were held in Geneva in 2003 and in Tunis in 2005.
For more information:
Download the UIS regional questionnaire.