Teach Middle East Magazine Apr - Jun 2020 Issue 3 Volume 7 | Page 15

Sharing Good Practice
Education really could be possible
even in the farthest corners of
the globe, with 24-hour access to
educational and specialized support.
Each and every student can create the
future that they desire, with hundreds
of teachers available at the click of a
button in even the most niche topics
and fields.
The impact of global
educational disadvantage
According to UNESCO, the world
needs almost 69 million new teachers
to reach the 2030 educational goals.
Further to this, UNESCO estimates that
25 million children of primary school
age will never set foot in a classroom,
with a mere 14% of youth completing
upper secondary education in low
income countries. 
A separate study carried out by
humanium.org, backs up these
statistics
and
determines
that
education for millions of students
remains an inaccessible right. It states
that more than 72 million children
are not in school and predicts that
759 million adults are illiterate and do
not have the awareness necessary to
improve their living conditions and
those of their children, thus creating
a ripe environment for a never-ending
cycle.
Unfortunately, an illiterate adult
or education-deprived student is
immediately placed into a long-term
and sometimes life-long disadvantage
in relation to succeeding in this ever-
changing world, with more and
more focus placed on specialized
and emerging skills and jobs and
educational backgrounds.
Humanium.org
further
outlines
an inequality evidenced in many
countries that can also spiral around
language barriers, ethnic origins and
religion. The study estimates that
many students are having to make
the tough choice to abandon their
education in order to get a job and
support their families due to factors
such as unemployment in certain
regions. But perhaps if more flexibility
were to be offered around education,
we would be better positioned to
support society’s future?
The role of virtual schools
in abolishing educational
disadvantage 
Taking into consideration all evidenced
challenges
driving
educational
disadvantage, perhaps we can look to
one of the fastest growing and border
diminishing industries; technology.
Could virtual schooling very well be
the future of education?
With the ability to virtually break
borders across the globe, and the
ability to educate any student,
anywhere and at any time, the future
solution to educational disadvantage
could already be here.
No longer will students have to
make the tough decision between
their education and their life
commitments. With virtual schooling,
students can learn at their pace and
in their preferred environment. Virtual
schooling can be delivered through
a bricks and mortar model or quite
simply as an addition to any school
wishing to attract more students.
What’s more, virtual schools have
the potential to positively impact a
wide range of educational settings,
from early years through to higher
education, meaning that students can
not only have access to an education,
but can receive individualized support
and instruction throughout their entire
learning experience. Virtual schools
are all about opening up a world
of learning for pupils that wouldn’t
otherwise have access, or would do
so under difficult circumstances, and
having the flexibility to meet the
needs of a diverse user base ensures
that students are properly prepared
for the future and empowered to fulfill
their potential.
Imagine a world where every child
had access to top quality education,
every child around the globe had an
equal right, and every child had the
ability to receive acceptance at some
of the world’s most elite university
institutions. Imagine a world, of
educational equality, where everyone,
no matter their background, had the
ability to not only shape, but take
charge of their own life and abolish
the cycle of educational inequality.
The future is here, let’s transform
education together.
Gavin McLean is the International Business Development Director at Edmentum International. He has nearly thirty years’
experience in business and curriculum development in international education. Based in the United Kingdom, Gavin has worked
for some of the largest international publishers including Macmillan Education and National Geographic Learning, and has
consulted for public and private sector companies, multinational agencies and donors in various global markets. Gavin and his
team at Edmentum International are dedicated to working with international schools to implement technology that genuinely
benefits teachers and students.
Class Time
Term 3 Apr - Jun 2020
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