10,000 literacy educators worldwide empowered through digital skills training

For the educator quoted above, digital skills have become a fundamental part of teaching. This experience reflects a wider shift taking place in literacy classrooms around the world.

As education systems evolve, literacy today means more than reading and writing. It also means being able to use digital tools effectively, critically evaluate online content and actively participate in a society increasingly mediated by technology. For educators, this transformation brings both opportunity and challenge.

To support them, the Secretariat of the Global Alliance for Literacy (GAL) at the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), in close collaboration with GAL Associate member, Huawei, launched the multilingual online course Improving the Digital Competencies of Literacy Educators . Available in Arabic, English, French and Spanish, the course equips educators with practical skills they can immediately apply.

Since its launch in December 2025, around 10,000 educators worldwide have benefitted, demonstrating the global demand for accessible, relevant professional development in this area.

From insight to action

What makes the course distinctive is its strong connection to real teaching practice. Delivered through 11 self-paced sessions, it allows educators to reflect on their work while developing and testing out new skills.

A literacy educator and course participant from Togo highlights how the course reshaped his thinking: 'Through this course, I understood the importance of integrating theory, digital tools, and reflective practice to improve adult literacy education.' This understanding quickly translates into action: 'I plan to design more learner-centred lessons using digital tools for collaboration and assessment.'

Similarly, an educator from Pakistan emphasizes the value of continuous learning: 'Reflective practice and digital integration can directly improve teaching effectiveness.'

These experiences show how digital competencies strengthen not only what educators teach, but also how they facilitate learning.

Building confidence in a changing world

For many participants, the course is also about building confidence - moving from uncertainty to more deliberate and critical use of technology.

Rather than focusing solely on tools, educators develop a deeper understanding of how digital technologies shape learning and information. This shift is essential in helping learners not just to access content but also to question its intent and use it responsibly.

Digital literacy as empowerment

Across participants' reflections, one message stands out: digital competencies are closely linked to empowerment. By strengthening both technical and critical skills, the course enables educators to create more inclusive, engaging and relevant learning environments, particularly for youth and adults who risk being left behind in a rapidly changing world.

A growing global impact

With 10,000 educators reached, the course is contributing to a wider transformation in literacy education. National and municipal adult education agencies and providers are key partners in expanding the course across countries and UNESCO learning cities. Its impact is visible in the classrooms educators describe: more learner-centred approaches, greater use of collaboration and stronger emphasis on critical thinking. Through these changes, literacy education becomes a foundation skill and, at the same time, a pathway to participation in the digital age.

As the statements of course beneficiaries across the globe show, when educators gain digital skills, the benefits extend far beyond the classroom - empowering learners to navigate, question and thrive in an increasingly digital world.

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