“Around the world, education systems are subject to constant scrutiny, but the combination of fast-changing technology and economic uncertainty, plus massive disruptions like the pandemic and conflict in Ukraine, all show us that we cannot take the future of education for granted.

The United Nations says the world will need to have 272 million more children in school by 2030 than in 2015, and current trends were projected to miss this target by 110 million,” so says Juliet Mann as she opens this episode of The Agenda on China Global Television Network (CGTN).

In this interview, Edward Ma talks about how the decisions we make in education today have a huge impact on the future. He shares examples of the impactful work of our laureates, including CAMFED, whose work benefits millions of girls and young women in Africa and Pratham Education Foundation, whose ‘Teaching at the Right Level’ program supports millions of children in India. He also highlights how innovative, scalable tools such as PhET Interactive Simulations, the brainchild of our 2020 Yidan Prize for Education Research, Professor Carl Wieman, are reimagining the way STEM subjects are taught, encouraging students to think like scientists.

Edward shows the importance of engaging with local communities, understanding their real needs, and championing innovative teaching methods which will have a lasting impact and the potential to scale. He also touches on the digital divide and how bridging this will require sustained effort beyond the education community, including working with telecommunications companies to improve connectivity, technology companies to make platforms openly accessible to all, and developing innovative, scalable solutions to support children’s education and development. But it’s important to recognize that digital learning alone is not the solution. He also highlights the critical importance of social interaction, especially in early years education and how quality education can be delivered offline with well-designed programs.

Philanthropies, NGOs, researchers, and policymakers are collaborating internationally to improve learning experiences and bridge the education gap for all.

In this interview with CGTN, Edward Ma talks about the Yidan Prize and shares innovative approaches from our laureates’ work.

Watch the interview here.

Photo credit: Pratham Education Foundation