Saturday, 25 June 2022 04:46

Millicom (Tigo) to launch new digital platform "Maestr@s Conectad@s" for digital teacher training in Latin America

Written by Evelyn Alas

Millicom, a leading provider of fixed, mobile and digital services in Latin America through its Tigo brand, announced the launch of a web application for its Maestr@s Conectad@s program across the region, which offers online learning modules on digital literacy to school teachers.

Millicom (Tigo) first launched Maestr@s Conectad@s in 2020 in the countries where it operates to strengthen digital education systems that had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program, designed to bridge the digital divide, initially consisted of online training that prepared educators, including teachers and school administrators, among others, to understand and use digital tools to improve the quality of education.

Interactive modules were delivered through videos, podcasts and other digital media. Through Maestr@s Conectad@s, the company has trained more than 250,000 educators to date in Guatemala,El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Bolivia and Paraguay. Currently, the new web application offers a catalog of 20 free courses developed in collaboration with AHYU, an international organization dedicated to educational content.

Course topics include digital tools such as PowerPoint, Canva, Zoom, educational innovation, storytelling, gamification, the use of social networks, digital tools for the classroom and neuroeducation. The digital platform will allow much easier and immediate access to the Maestr@s Conectad@s toolkit for teachers who wish to acquire new skills, at a decisive moment for digital education.

The program represents one of Millicom's most important educational initiatives based on ESG criteria, aimed at improving and empowering lives through connectivity. The platform is available at the following link www.maestrosconectados.com

"We at AHYU are pleased to work hand in hand with Millicom (Tigo) in its commitment to contribute to quality education in Latin American countries," said Arlei Villegas, AHYU's Production Director. "Because educational work has now become hybrid, the virtual programs we have developed and our experience in facilitating teachers, families and students respond to the needs of this new reality and we hope to reach all levels of education.

Since its beginnings, various allies and partners have contributed to the expansion of Maestr@s Conectad@s in the nine countries where Millicom (Tigo) operates, including some ministries of education, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and various local media outlets.

"For us at Millicom (Tigo), there is no better way to respond to the social and economic needs of a community than to strengthen its education system by putting teachers at the center of it all," said Karim Lesina, executive vice president and director of External Affairs at Millicom. "With the launch of our online Maestr@s Conectad@s platform, we are bringing digital literacy training to thousands more teachers so they can develop the skills they need to reach and inspire students through new channels and methods no matter where they are. These and other efforts reaffirm our support for the UN Global Compact and the Sustainable Development Goals. For Millicom (Tigo), connecting our communities means more than just giving them access to the Internet. We are opening the door to the future.