Universal, Inclusive and Affordable Connectivity for the Digital Transformation of Education

Broadband Commission Open Statement
Transforming Education Summit, 19 September 2022

Recognizing that education is foundational for sustainable development, the United Nations Secretary-General is convening world leaders for a Transforming Education Summit (TES) to mobilize political ambition, action, solutions and solidarity to transform education, and to revitalize national and global efforts to achieve SDG-4.

The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development is aligned with the objectives of TES and recognizes the critical roles of digital connectivity, capacity and content in transforming education and lifelong learning systems. Since 2010, the Commission has developed a multitude of collaborative and impactful policy recommendations for connecting schools to the Internet and digitalizing education to enable a more inclusive and sustainable approach to learning. The Commission’s 4th Advocacy Target: Promote Digital Skills Development, states that 60% of youth and adults should have achieved at least a minimum level of proficiency in sustainable digital skills by 2025, which are fundamental to ensuring meaningful participation and quality experiences in increasingly digitalized education systems.