Thimphu : The Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD), in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and UNICEF, yesterday launched a new Education Technology Framework (ETF) designed to transform digital learning nationwide.
The framework aims to enhance children’s learning experiences and develop their skills through reliable school connectivity, enriched digital content, and targeted capacity-building programmes, all while promoting cybersecurity awareness.
The framework is also set to transform teaching and learning across the country by setting standards and guiding the equitable and efcient integration of technology in children’s learning, from early childhood to secondary education.
Directly aligned with His Majesty’s Royal Decree of 2020, the ETF addresses the urgent call to modernise Bhutan’s education system, aiming to prepare its youth for a rapidly evolving global landscape. It also aligns with the 13th Plan’s focus on strengthening digital infrastructure, enhancing digital literacy, and fostering innovation in
education.
Speaking at the launch, the education minister, Yeezang De Thapa, said that the ETF’s introduction marks a new era for education in Bhutan.
“This framework is our commitment to fostering a nationally-rooted, inclusive, and equitable digital education that empowers all learners with the knowledge, skills, and values required to thrive in 21st century Bhutan and beyond,” she said. “It is a strategic document to ensure that every child in Bhutan has the opportunity
to excel in a technology-driven world, irrespective of their background or location.”
The ETF comprises eight interrelated policy and standards documents, designed for leaders, policymakers, administrators, teachers, and students.
These include digital literacy standards for teachers, Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) facilitators, and students, as well as standards on digital content development, cybersecurity, data privacy, and online safety.
Funded by a one-million-euro grant from the EU, the initiative will be piloted in 10 selected schools, reaching 6,000 students and 400 teachers.
The EU Ambassador to Bhutan, Hervé Delphin, said that the initiative would facilitate teaching and learning and help students develop essential technology and digital skills. “This funding will support Bhutan’s resolute efforts to modernise its educational system for the benet of current and future generations of Bhutanese youth,” he said, adding that the EU-Bhutan partnership will continue to put the development of human capital at its core.
Despite current infrastructure challenges and the digital divide, especially between urban and rural areas, the ETF provides practical and actionable guidance that is both ambitious and realistic.
It aims to move Bhutan from its current emerging and applying stages of ICT in education towards an infusing stage, where technology is seamlessly integrated across the curriculum and learning.
“The ETF is not just a policy document, it is a commitment to our students, to our teachers, and to our future,” said UNICEF Bhutan Representative, Rushnan Murtaza. “It is a blueprint for action, designed to ensure that every learner—regardless of where they live or what resources their school currently has—can access the live or what resources their school currently has—can access the digital skills they need to thrive in the 21st century.”
The framework focuses on critical areas such as enhancing digital literacy skills for teachers, ECCD facilitators, and students, developing relevant digital content, promoting personalised and competency-based learning, and ensuring cybersecurity and online safety measures.
With the launch of the ETF, work will now begin to put these standards and guidelines into action. The MoESD will initiate the development of a comprehensive training package based on the ETF’s digital literacy standards for teachers, followed by capacitybuilding programmes to equip educators with the skills to effectively use technology in teaching and learning.
An ofcial from the MoESD stated that some of the framework’s guidelines are already being implemented.
“We have one computer for every ten students in schools, which is among the best ratios among Asian countries,” the ofcial said. “This framework will dene a certain standard of digital knowledge
that students should have by the time they pass out from Class 12.” Currently, six schools have satellite internet connections, while the rest are connected through ber.
The ETF will serve as the foundation for all future initiatives related to the digital transformation of education at both national and district levels.
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