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- Русский
It is with great pleasure and satisfaction that I am attending today's Workshop on Digital Education, which is organized by the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, through the Pedagogical Institute.
My presence here today is an indication of the fact that for our government Education is, without any exaggeration, the number one priority. For us, all the issues that we have to deal with at this time, our great national issue, the economy, health issues, all start with education. And I would like to take the occasion of my presence here to tell you that we are reaching out to the education world, to students, as partners, as fellow travelers in this effort to raise the bar even higher in terms of education, in terms of our education.
Actions such as today's highlight the emphasis we place on education and, by extension, on its digital transformation, which is in full alignment with the policies and recommendations of the European Union.
The policies, programmes and actions of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth make a decisive contribution to achieving the goal of the digital transition of our education system. I am impressed with what was presented to us by students from the Aglantzia Gymnasium and the Pancyprian Gymnasium and I must say that we should offer these opportunities that the students of the Pancyprian Gymnasium and the Aglantzia Gymnasium had to everyone from Pyrgos Tilliria to Dereneia. It is important that they have those opportunities and that is a priority for the Ministry of Education and we will be here to be judged for offering the same opportunities to all children.
Speaking of our education system, it is a system that I want to put more emphasis on the development of knowledge and skills. I was saying this during the campaign as a result of conversations I had with students, that we need to move away from a state of affairs where the primary goal is to cover syllabus and more syllabus, and focus on skills development, knowledge development, attitude formation, and it will be based on inclusion, unrestricted access to learning, and safe and responsible use of digital technologies.
The recent pandemic has highlighted the need for acceleration in all areas of the digital transition, which must include adapting pedagogies, improving infrastructures, but also developing the digital competence of both students and our teachers.
To this end, we are promoting plans based on priorities set at European level, such as the European Commission's Action Plan for Digital Education 2021-2027, which sets as strategic priorities the promotion of the development of a high-performance digital education ecosystem and the strengthening of digital skills and competences for digital transformation.
Among other things, through our Governance Programme for Education, which for us is our social contract with the Cypriot people, we seek to:
- the acceleration of the digital transformation of schools,
- the strengthening of the infrastructure and technological equipment of schools, for all students
- the use of digital technologies for teaching and learning, without exclusion and without discrimination,
- the development of digital competences and their integration in the curricula of all levels.
In this context, reform actions of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, coordinated by the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, are underway, aiming at acquiring digital skills and upgrading the digital infrastructure and equipment of our schools, as well as the operation of integrated systems of School Management Support Services and the Ministry's Administration Support Services.
Specifically, with a horizon of 2026 and with the use of European funds amounting to €13.8 million. We aim to implement:
- the implementation of a plan to fully upgrade digital equipment in schools by creating 6600 digital classrooms,
- the transformation of the Curricula, for me this is the first and most important, and the development of educational materials to enhance digital skills and skills related to STEM education,
- the grant for the purchase of portable digital devices by primary and secondary school pupils,
- the training and professional development of teachers in the pedagogical integration of new technologies in teaching and learning.
The era of digital citizenship we are living in urgently requires the adaptation of our education system - it should not be optional for those who choose it, it should be for all our students - so that our system prepares critically thinking and digitally literate citizens, ready to face challenges, seize opportunities and shape their future. We hope for the support of all stakeholders in education to respond effectively to this call, first and foremost from you because it is up to you whether we succeed in this national challenge.
In this call we approach you as partners to give our children all the skills they need for personal and professional well-being as citizens in a complex, demanding and ever-evolving environment. Already, our first actions concern and support the transition to a modern education system, where every child learns, develops abilities, skills and attitudes that will allow them to be active citizens.
I would like to congratulate the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth for the initiative to organize today's Workshop, and wish it every success!
I am absolutely sure that the presentations of the speakers, the discussions that will be developed, the presentation of good practices from the programmes and actions of the Pedagogical Institute, which is carrying out an excellent work - and I would like to congratulate you - as well as the workshops for the development of teachers' digital competence will contribute to the achievement of the common goal, because the goal is common and in order to achieve it, your cooperation is a prerequisite.
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