Computer Education in Jordan: Thaki is supporting the Future of Palestinian Youth

Anna is an intern with Anera in Jordan.

Over the past month, I traveled to the Baqa'a and Souf refugee camps, north of Amman, to support the Education and Digital Literacy program, a digital education initiative to help vulnerable young people develop the skills they need to succeed in modern society. It was an honor to support the students and watch their confidence grow.

Undertaken with our partners, iLearn and Thaki, our digital literacy initiative is the only computer lab program in both Baqa'a and Souf Palestinian Refugee Camps whose primary goal is to bring digital education to children in Lebanon. Funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has continuously been cut since 2008, leaving computer labs abandoned and students without access to modern technology.

The need for expanding access to digital education to these young people is profound. Dima, the iLearn project coordinator, tells me that before joining the program many students had never seen a computer in person.

Many people use computers every day, for work, socializing, shopping, watching movies and so much more. I know for myself, it is impossible to imagine life without one.

In refugee camps in Jordan (and beyond), it is extremely uncommon for families to have a personal computer, much less an internet connection. Without access to the internet, refugees are alienated from countless educational and career opportunities that could otherwise help them pursue their rights to a quality education and economic growth.

The Education and Digital Literacy program is groundbreaking because it dismantles barriers to digital learning and addresses the educational gaps left by underfunded formal schooling. Anera's partner Thaki donates laptops preloaded with educational software that can be run without internet access, bringing dozens of applications teaching life skills and academic subjects, including Microsoft Word; Excel; educational games for math (Tux Math, an arcade-style math game), typing and coding (Scratch); virtual science experiments; and story books to support reading skills.

Over the course of a month, students complete 40 hours of class time, gain a computer skills certification that they can add to their resume, and have continued access to the computer lab after graduating from the program.

UNRWA schools often have 50-60 students in a classroom, with two students at each desk and just one short 45 minute lesson on each subject everyday. In the Thaki lab, I saw students from 8 to 16 years old struggle with multiplication. With Thaki, students gain additional practice in a variety of subjects and have more personalized support to master the essential curriculum.

Over the first few days of the course, the students seemed overwhelmed by all the features of the computers. They were even hesitant to type on the keyboards. Before long, the kids began working together to figure out the computer functions. After just a few classes, the students were navigating the computers with confidence and ease. Given opportunity and attention, students can and will find their way.

When I asked the students about school and their interests, many said they wanted to become doctors, engineers, and business owners and even expressed that the Thaki lab was their favorite class. It is clear from the first day that students are ready to learn and genuinely appreciate the value of this opportunity.

There is a tremendous demand for this program. Between the two cities - Jerash and Baqaa - there are roughly 500 students on the waitlist to join the program, with many parents expressing a desire to join a computer education program as well.

Anera has partnered with Thaki to promote digital learning since 2018, supporting vulnerable young people in Lebanon during COVID-19 lockdowns, and in the aftermath of the Beirut port explosion. In Jordan, the Education and Digital Literacy program has already reached 300 students so far in 2024. The program was essential to the continuation of education after the 2020 Beirut blast and through the COVID-19 pandemic, and is more important than ever given the disruption to education now happening in Lebanon due to the war with Israel.

Although I only spent a handful of sessions with the students, I was proud to be a part of a program where students developed skills that will serve them for the whole of their lifetimes.

The digital world is nothing if not made accessible to all, and young students today especially deserve to be part of this landscape. This digital education program gives students the tools to access a universe of information, and supports their ability to build a better future for themselves.

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