Position Paper From Uruguay

Committee: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Agenda: Ensuring quality education and increasing accessibility to e-learning for children
Name: Dhir D Michael
Delegate of Uruguay
Agenda: Ensuring quality education and increasing accessibility to e-learning for children
Ensuring quality education and increasing accessibility to e-learning for children is paramount in
today's rapidly evolving digital landscape. As technology continues to reshape the way we learn
and interact, it is imperative that we leverage e-learning platforms to bridge educational gaps
and empower every child with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the 21st century.
This necessitates a concerted effort to address challenges such as economic disparities,
inadequate infrastructure, and digital literacy barriers, while seizing opportunities for
innovation and collaboration. Overall, Uruguay's stance on increasing access to e-learning is
comprehensive, encompassing not only the provision of technology but also efforts to integrate
it into the education system, promote digital literacy, and foster collaboration among
stakeholders. This multifaceted approach reflects the country's commitment to ensuring quality
education for all its citizens in the digital age.
Uruguay has been a pioneer in implementing e-learning initiatives to increase accessibility to

education. One of the key projects is Plan Ceibal (Conectividad Educativa de Informática Básica
para El Aprendizaje en Línea), which aims to provide every student and teacher with a laptop
and internet access. In addition to this, Education in Uruguay is compulsory for students aged
6–11. The National Public Education Administration (ANEP) oversees all public schools from
preschool through university, while the Ministry of Education and Culture regulates private
preschools and private schools. Furthermore, Uruguay has also implemented progressive
policies for equitable education, including extending the school day from 4 to 7.5 hours,
improving educational infrastructure, providing meals and nutritional snacks, and introducing a
broader curriculum. Uruguay's high literacy rate of 98.6 percent is largely due to its free
primary, secondary, and public university education. The country's student-teacher ratio is one
of the lowest in the world, with a classroom size of 13.8 to one, similar to Sweden and Iceland,
allowing for every student to have more one-on-one attention from the teacher.
UNESCO promotes quality education and e-learning accessibility for children. It works with
governments and other stakeholders to develop policies that integrate e-learning into national
education systems. UNESCO provides technical assistance and capacity-building support to
governments and education institutions, including training teachers in digital literacy and
pedagogical approaches for online learning. Open Educational Resources (OER) are promoted
to make educational materials more accessible and affordable, enhancing the quality of
education and expanding access to learning opportunities. UNESCO supports efforts to improve
ICT infrastructure in schools and communities, particularly in remote and marginalized areas
and with research and knowledge sharing are conducted to inform policy development and
program implementation, and UNESCO monitors progress towards Sustainable Development
Goal 4 (SDG 4) on quality education. Overall, UNESCO plays a critical role in advancing quality
education and increasing accessibility to e-learning for children worldwide. The World Bank is
the largest external financing source for education in developing countries, with a $26 billion
portfolio in 94 countries. Its education policy approach focuses on five interrelated pillars:
learners, teachers, learning resources, safe schools, and well-managed education systems. The
Bank is supporting countries through efforts to improve access, completion, adaptability,
quality, relevance, and efficiency of skills development programs. The Bank's Education Global
Practice has over 160 active projects supporting over 18 million teachers worldwide, including a
third of the teacher population in low- and middle-income countries. The World Bank's
classroom observation tool, Teach, helps identify patterns in teacher performance and supports
teachers to improve their teaching practice through hands-on professional development. The
Bank supports education finance systems by bringing together multi-sectoral expertise to
develop effective public financial management systems, monitor and evaluate education
spending, identify financing bottlenecks, and develop interventions. The World Bank's
education engagement in the Fragility, Conflict, and Violent (FCV) context has grown rapidly,
accounting for more than 25% of the education portfolio.
Solutions:
• Foster a Positive and Inclusive School Culture: Create a supportive and diverse environment
that values differences, encourages teamwork, and cultivates positive relationships.
• Focus on Student-Centered Learning: Adopt student-centered learning strategies, fostering
critical thinking, problem-solving, and active engagement.
• Provide Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers: Invest in workshops, seminars,
and training sessions to enhance teaching skills and expose teachers to cutting-edge practices.
• Use Technology as an Educational Tool: Utilize interactive whiteboards, educational
applications, online resources, and digital platforms to improve learning.
• Foster Effective Parent-Teacher Relationships: Establish open communication with parents
and encourage their active involvement in their child’s education.
• Create a Supportive Learning Environment: Implement comprehensive student support
services, including counselling, tutoring, and mentoring programs.
• Encourage Continuous Assessment and Feedback: Include techniques for ongoing evaluation
and use a range of assessment strategies to measure student progress.
• Engage with the Community: Establish connections with the local community and involve it in
the educational process.
• Emphasize Mental Health: Balance academic work and extracurricular activities to improve
students’ well-being and receptiveness to learning.
• Provide Necessary Resources: Allocate appropriate financial resources to renovate
infrastructure, invest in instructional technologies, expand library collections, and enhance
facilities.
References:
 UNESCO digital library: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000265994

 The Borgen Project: https://borgenproject.org/8-facts-about-education-in-uruguay/
 UNESCO: https://www.unesco.org/en/education/action
 Varthana: https://varthana.com/school/top-10-ways-you-can-improve-the-quality-of-
education-in-your-school/#:~:text=Utilize%20interactive%20whiteboards%2C
%20educational%20applications,21st%2Dcentury%20digital%20literacy%20skills.
 World Bank: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/education/overview#2

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Committee: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Uruguay has been a pioneer in implementing e-learning initiatives to increase accessibility to

 UNESCO digital library: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000265994

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