From left to right: Sofía Fernandez de Mesa, General Director of ProFuturo; Nicolette Henry, Minister of Education of Guayana; Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the OAS; María Juste, Public Placement Director of "la Caixa"; Néstor Méndez, Assistant Secretary General of the OAS
ProFuturo Educational Program, an initiative of the Telefónica Foundation and "la Caixa", in partnership with the OAS; will bring technological equipment, training and digital resources for learning to five Caribbean countries; with an investment close to one million dollars.
May 24, in Washington D.C. was signed the agreement for the implementation of the ProFuturo Program in Guayana. 449 teachers from 28 schools will be trained in the use of technologies and the incorporation of innovative methodologies in their elementary classes. 5,000 students in the country will have access to digital content and interactive materials for the improvement of their learning experiences.
The signing of the agreement, which ratifies the importance of public-private partnerships for the development of the region, was led by the Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro; the Minister of Education of Guyana, Nicolette Henry; and the General Director of ProFuturo, Sofía Fernández de Mesa.
This agreement is part of the first edition of the Program in the Caribbean, and will benefit more than 23,000 children in the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana and Jamaica. The region is now part of the 23 countries of Latin America, Africa and Asia that have received technological equipment, training and digital educational content.
The implementation of the ProFuturo Program responds to the ICT Alliance 2030 signed in the Dominican Republic in 2016. This alliance, led by the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission -CITEL-, seeks to connect globally 1.5 billion people by 2020; connect to the Internet to all public schools by 2030; promote digital training, developing talents for the digital economy; and strengthen democratic participation through new media.
ProFuturo Program is a commitment to strengthening capacities in vulnerable environments, generating social, cultural and economic development for the citizens of the Caribbean, in accordance with the three pillars of the Inter-American Educational Agenda: Quality, Inclusive and Equitable Education; Strengthening the Teaching Profession; and Comprehensive Early Childhood Care..
"This is the beginning of a partnership that will reach more Caribbean countries and more schools in that region. We want children everywhere to have better conditions to be better leaders of tomorrow".
Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the OAS
"We are conscious of the value of ICTs, so this morning I would like to thank OAS and ProFuturo for collaborating with Guyana. I trust this initiative will be not only beneficial for the people of Guyana from rural communities, but to the entire Caribbean."
Nicolette Henry, Minister of Education Guyana
"We know that digital education is key to achieving an education that moves from traditional models to active learning models, where children learn to learn".
Sofía Fernández de Mesa, General Director ProFuturo
Photo galery of the signing event
