Digital School

Myanmar has a very high data consumption in social media, communication and entertainment; however, digital skills for social and economic benefits are yet to be developed especially in lower socio-economic groups and rural areas. According to LirneAsia/MIDO National ICT study in 2016, 78% of Myanmar internet users have poor digital literacy. This shows that the current Myanmar workforce is inadequately equipped with 21st century skills which are essential for building digital economy of Myanmar the country.

ATOM Myanmar had recommended a roadmap to digitizing the country in its Realizing Digital Myanmar report published in Feb 2018 and indicated the need to upgrade digital literacy skills of the people of Myanmar along with six other areas (https://bit.ly/2zbZJ4D) Believing that digital inclusion is the foundation to acquiring higher digital skills and preparing for digital workforce, ATOM Digital School program was launched in November 2018.

ATOM Digital School was a collaborative effort of ATOM Myanmar with the Ministry of Education, KMD, Myan ICT for Development Organization (MIDO) and Irrawaddy Green Tower (IGT) to train primary digital literacy to 100,000 students over a year. With this program, ATOM Myanmar aspired to contribute to UNSDG#10 – reduced inequalities, especially in education.

This program was an expansion of the successful Digital Summer School which provided training to 25,000 students across the country from March to May 2018. 

Specifically, the program aimed to:

• Provide virtual computer labs where the school students, as well as civil servants can receive digital literacy training with qualified teachers at the nearest KMD and ATOM Lighthouse centers among 170 in total across the country
• Serve as a foundation upon which the students can build up their higher digital skills
• Offer to choose from basic Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, internet search, email and safe internet courses

Duation : November 2018 - October 2019

Impact : 100,000 middle and high school students trained