The release of the report Ed-tech in the Global South: Research Gaps and Opportunities is a commendable effort in our ongoing commitment to creating equitable and inclusive education systems. At a time when the percentage of children in low- and middle-income countries who cannot read and comprehend a simple sentence rose from 57% in 2019 to 70% in 2021, this report identifies key research areas that need attention to tackle the global learning crisis.

While there has been an upsurge in interest in ed-tech since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the absence of meaningful empirical evidence to inform ed-tech initiatives has been widely noticeable. The UNESCO’s GEM Report (2023) points to the insufficient evidence about the added value of ed-tech for learning and underlines that available research primarily comes from developed countries. This report invites questions regarding which type of ed-tech best addresses Global South countries’ diverse social, economic, and cultural contexts to enhance children’s learning.

By examining the opportunities and challenges that primary and secondary schools face in low- and middle-income nations, the authors make two overarching contributions to the ongoing ed-tech discourse.

Firstly, they add to the Global South’s knowledge of ed-tech. This report offers crucial insights on the pressing need to make pedagogy a top priority of ed-tech initiatives in the Global South, along with securing disadvantaged children’s access to digital tools, their usage competency, and teachers’ readiness to integrate technology in their instruction practices.

Secondly, the authors identify three aspects that are key to discussions on ed-tech, yet have not been thoroughly investigated in low- and middle-income nations. These encompass ed-tech’s pedagogical implications, its function in tackling inequalities, and an enabling governance and policy structure.

No matter how promising technology in general and ed-tech specifically may be, successful implementation requires a school environment that provides support. Adequately equipping teachers and parents to facilitate and sustain this transition is crucial, while simultaneously ensuring ed-tech’s critical pillars—the availability of technological devices in schools and communities, access to electricity, and connectivity. All this while considering the suitability of ed-tech innovations within specific local contexts in the Global South. These are areas that, if left unattended, may worsen education inequalities between the North and South and within various socioeconomic groups in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

The conversation on equality is of utmost significance as educational systems continue to confront the challenge of ensuring inclusivity for those who are most vulnerable, such as children with disabilities, girls, and children impacted by warfare and climate change-induced natural disasters. Ed-tech efforts should strive to prevent the exacerbation of these inequities. Additionally, this research addresses a significant gap highlighted in the 2023 GEM Report on Technology in Education: A tool on whose terms?: the long-term viability of ed-tech efforts, which is rarely discussed in the existing literature, and is a gap that inhibits favourable policy frameworks. Addressing ed-tech governance structures holds significance for regulatory compliance and future investment in ed-tech.

From the perspective of IDRC, this report’s findings are highly relevant for their potential to contribute to children and youth from marginalised communities being enrolled in school and receiving a high-quality education. It is closely connected to IDRC’s commitment to generating knowledge and innovation that enhances the quality of people’s lives.

This publication further enhances our Education and Science team’s efforts to expand outstanding educational innovations and policies and ensure evidence-based, innovative educational practices that improve learning outcomes for children of all genders. Over the following three years, IDRC will provide backing for enhancing policymakers’ capabilities in evaluating ed-tech to address the learning requirements of the most disadvantaged individuals, capitalising on validated advancements and formulating policies that facilitate their implementation. The research gaps and opportunities discussed in this report are well-placed to support this IDRC initiative.

This article is an expert commentary on the report Ed-tech in the Global South: Research Gaps and Opportunities. The report is an outcome of a collaborative project led by the Group for Analysis of Development (GRADE) and Southern Voice, in partnership with three leading Global South think tanks –CSEA, SUMMA and IPS. Using a mixed methods approach, we explored the main factors shaping the use, design, and governance of ed-tech in the Global South, seeking to uncover critical priorities to foster better and more equitable learning for all. The initiative was commissioned by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to provide insights into the ed-tech ecosystem in the developing world.

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