Top technology talents play pioneering role in education for Syrian Children

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

The best brains in information technology are being urged to sign up to a unique event, to boost education for Syrian refugees across the region – just one-in-five of whom have access to a secondary education.

No Lost Generation (NLG) EdTech summit on March 1-2 is attracting participants from the private, public and development sectors to showcase and inspire technology-based solutions to address the education and skills challenges caused by the crisis in Syria. The summit is outcome focused and as such is offering seed-funding grants of $50,000 to selected ideas that can be developed and proposed at the event.

“We’re looking forward to getting the best brains in the room to thrash out technological solutions to improve education for children affected by the Syria Crisis," Mark Chapple, Head of No Lost Generation

Such innovations could include the use of mobile apps, video learning, tablet based literacy tools, online courses, educational games, remote teacher-training, online assessments and teacher monitoring tools.

The one-of-a-kind event at Ras al Ein Hangar is organised as part of the NLG initiative by World Vision, in collaboration with Microsoft and NetHope, bringing together great thinkers to inspire new approaches.

Mark Chapple, Head of No Lost Generation, said: “We’re looking forward to getting the best brains in the room to thrash out technological solutions to improve education for children affected by the Syria Crisis.

“There are some great thinkers with great ideas out there – and we need to harness this talent for the sake of students who just want to learn, but can’t because their classrooms have been bombed, their lives uprooted, and their chances in life potentially shattered as a result.

“We can’t rebuild those classrooms overnight – but technology has an increasing role to play in bridging that educational gap, and getting children back on track with their schooling.”

No Lost Generation initiative, launched in 2013, draws attention to the plight of children affected by the Syrian crisis, by coordinating response efforts focused on education, child protection and adolescent/youth engagement.

“We can’t rebuild those classrooms overnight – but technology has an increasing role to play in bridging that educational gap, and getting children back on track with their schooling,” Mark Chapple.

Mr Chapple added: “Every child has a right to an education, and we know that without education societies become more violent, more divided, less prosperous and less equal.

“Syrian children deserve to be able to access quality education wherever they are, so that they can be the driving force behind the rebuilding of a peaceful Syria. It is our job to help that happen, and through collaboration to look at new and effective ways to do this.”

Interested organizations, individuals and start-ups working in education, technology and mobile communications are encouraged to attend in the spirit of collaboration and cooperation. Attendance at the summit is free but registration is required via the website: www.nlgedtech.com