Strengthening decision-makers’ capacities for appropriate EdTech use in South and Southeast Asia — Sri Lanka

 

Technologies in the school environment have long shown the potential to improve education in low-income countries. However, significant gaps in knowledge, capacity and policy still hinder the effective adoption and scaling of proven educational technologies (EdTech) in these contexts. There is a lack of impartial, reliable evidence on the impact of EdTech. Further, the challenge lies not only in identifying technologies that improve learning outcomes (rather than simply focusing on digital inputs) but also in enhancing educators’ capacity to effectively use these technologies and in creating favourable policy environments for their success. More importantly, there is a need to include Edtech in broader pedagogical approaches and educational interventions rather than putting it at the centre, and to ensure it reaches vulnerable populations and promotes gender equality throughout its design, implementation and scaling.

IDRC is launching a three-year global initiative to strengthen the capacities of key educational stakeholders — particularly technical teams within ministries of education — to improve learning outcomes and increase access for vulnerable students in low- and middle-income countries. The initiative aims to generate new, Southern-led evidence on EdTech priorities for public education to support the adoption and scaling of learning-centered innovations, and to foster policies that enable EdTech to deliver on its potential.

This specific initiative in Sri Lanka focuses on enhancing the ability of policymakers and national stakeholders to make more informed decisions about two key types of EdTech: educational management information systems, which are established but not well-implemented in the country, and artificial intelligence, which is emerging and not yet fully understood. The project will employ a variety of methods, including desk research, stakeholder consultations and the creation of toolkits and policy documents.