UNESCO, Jamaica form ties; North Macedonia boosts SMEs

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Jamaica’s educational sector is set to undergo significant transformation in the coming years following the launch of an initiative by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

In a press statement, UNESCO announced its collaboration with Jamaica’s Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth, and Information for the SDG Joint Program on Digital Transformation for Education, an initiative focusing on digitizing Jamaica’s educational sector.

Under the program, UNESCO and the Education Ministry will invest $3.7 million to integrate digital technologies in schools across Jamaica to boost data management, improve administrative processes, and help track nutrition support among the youth via an Education Management Information System (EMIS), which has garnered support from the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The UN’s specialized agency states that this ambitious project will directly impact 450,000 students nationwide, with a focus on underprivileged students.

While both parties have remained silent about some of the advanced technologies they will use in the initiative, it is possible that they will emulate neighboring countries’ efforts in digitalization by leveraging blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions in schools, with both technologies demonstrating vast array of use cases in the education sector, including transparent processes and paperless certificates.

With AI, Jamaican students will have access to novel learning aids and chatbots to complement learning processes. On the other hand, administrators and teachers can utilize automation to perform executive functions more efficiently.

Education, Skills, Youth, and Information Minister Dana Morris Dixon disclosed that the incoming digitization systems will allow regulators to make informed decisions on administrative policies for the sector.

“We are working hard to enhance and transform how we operate in the education sector for the betterment of our students and teachers,” said Dixon. “This joint project takes us one step further toward ensuring equal access to quality education for every Jamaican child.”

Jamaica is keeping up with other countries in innovating its sectors, beginning with the launch of its central bank digital currency, JAM-DEX, in 2022. Since then, the Caribbean nation has rolled out new Point-of-Sale (PoS) equipment to smooth the rollout for its central bank digital currency (CBDC). Authorities predict the use of CBDC will grow in the coming years, providing numerous benefits to the region, including transparency for government processes and enhanced cross-border transactions.

SMEs as a bridge to broader adoption of digital tools

The €4 million ($4.3 million) loan comes from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and will be distributed through the Sparkasse Bank Skopje.

The preference will be given to female-led businesses in an attempt to foster inclusivity. Traditionally, female-led businesses are a small demographic and access to fresh funding focused on emerging technologies will trigger growth for the cohort.

There is also the sustainability side to the loan initiative with partners expressing a keen commitment to support solutions revolving around green technologies to reduce waste. Energy-saving tech is also at the top of the pyramid for the Go Digital loan initiative in addition to reducing carbon emissions.

While North Macedonia will receive several benefits from the loan initiative, the biggest impact is expected to occur in the tourism sector. Travelers to the Balkan country can have access to advanced payment solutions while mitigating delays associated with cross-border transformers.

Furthermore, leveraging digital tools could help eliminate supply chain disruptions that affect SMEs, providing tourists with seamless experiences. Smart contract automation and AI personalization features in SMEs could also be considered to help reduce administrative costs while providing memorable experiences for visitors.

Outside tourism, the Go Digital loan is expected to impact several sectors, including education, retail, hospitality, and e-commerce.

Authorities are targeting SMEs in their push to introduce emerging technologies in their region. According to several reports, SMEs contribute a chunk to the GDPs of their respective nations.

A comprehensive adoption of emerging technologies by SMEs will create ripple effects throughout all sectors of the economy. Middle Eastern and African SMEs are already recording high adoption rates for digital payments, while Singapore-based SMEs are turning to AI integrations in droves.

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