We are living in the age of the fourth industrial revolution, which means that more of us than ever are sharing, learning and transacting online.

Disruptive technology is changing the way we live, interact, and work. As well as the nature of our workplaces.

It’s leading many employees to consider how digital disruption could impact their future careers, and even question what jobs their children will be doing when they grow up.

Employers face the same challenges as they decide which capabilities they need to develop to enable their business to grow in a new digital world.

The digital economy is advancing rapidly and is changing the organisation of employment, production, and trade in many different ways.

This hyper-connected economy is driven by the use of digital technologies such as cloud computing, data analytics, the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics.

The importance of the digital economy is further amplified by the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic. Together, the pandemic and technological change are rapidly reshaping societies and economies at their core.

But the pandemic also highlighted many inequalities, including the extent of the digital divide. Remote and rural communities, as well as urban poor in G7 nations, have found themselves distanced socially, economically, and educationally due to poor or non-existent broadband services.

For many of us, the benefits of digital are clear. But people who are lacking the skills or confidence to use digital technology are being left further and further behind.

For example, UNICEF estimates that a third of the world’s school children (463 million globally) Were unable to access remote learning when Covid-19 closed schools.

Digital exclusion is already holding back economic growth, with lack of digital skills being cited as the second biggest barrier to productivity, after lack of investment. A digital skills gap will only cause more harm to the economy as it becomes more digital.

In an age of widespread internet access,why is there still such digital inequality between those who have the digital skills and confidence to benefit fully from the digital age and those who do not?

Education, like every other industry, is becoming more driven by technology than ever before. And its role has never been more critical or more uncertain. When the dust settles from this turbulent year, what will education look like — and what should it aspire to?

Digital inclusion for education is universally important as it forms the bedrock of future societies and economies. By providing schools with connectivity, devices and digital skills, countries are literally investing in their own future.

Better digital capabilities are vital not just for people looking for work, but for the entire economy.

It is undeniable that education is facing challenges and demands structural reforms that include all parts of the education process. And these reforms require plans for education management, setting policies for offering training for teachers, and using new technologies of internet.

Digital technologies have the potential to connect and enrich so many areas of our world, and what we have seen to date is only the tip of the iceberg. We need to look forward and get our schools and universities ready for the 21st century’s digital era.

Because we can solve the issues of digital exclusion, but it can’t be done without partnerships between government, the private sector, and the charity sector Through innovative collaborations, we can reach children in remote areas and help them prepare for the digital age.