Educational support for students and teachers in Peru
“I have learned a lot in the training provided by Plan International and CDP.”
– Piero, high school participant
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted and affected education around the globe, and the need for continued access to high-quality, safe virtual educational environments has been critical for both teachers and students alike. In Peru, high school student Piero and his mother worked diligently to ensure he did not fall behind on his studies and was able to navigate his digital learning experience safely. They participated in an online protection workshop provided by CDP grantee partner Plan International Peru.
In 2020, Plan International Peru received a grant from the CDP COVID-19 Response Fund to ensure children’s right to education amid the pandemic. Their project “Strengthening Digital Skills in Safe Learning Environments” served nearly 4,000 participants. They aimed to improve the e-learning support skills of educators and increase awareness and understanding of online child protection issues for students and their families to create a safer and more effective virtual learning experience. Using multiple platforms, they provided training and webinars on understanding the risks of digital environments, developing safe digital spaces, discovering safe online activities and instructing students on how to protect themselves while online.
Piero said, “Now I know how to surf the internet safely, search for information from Google Scholar, and be aware of scams and risks that exist in the digital environment. I really liked the way I received the information. The best were the Tik Tok videos, where stories were told about how to protect ourselves from ‘sexting’ and ‘grooming.’ My advice to adolescents is that they should apply protection measures online and have a trusted person such as a father, mother or tutor to communicate any situation that makes us feel vulnerable on the internet.”
Ensuring students have the skills necessary to protect themselves online is crucial. While the pandemic continues and hybrid forms of education remain an option, and in some cases a necessity, equipping students and families with this knowledge is invaluable. CDP is proud to support the work of Plan International.