In developed countries, the majority of people have
access to the internet and appropriate technology. On the other hand, many
people in developing countries does not have this opportunity. It’s an another
reality screams for attention behind the world of modern technology. The term
"digital divide" refers to the difference between those with stable
internet connection and equipment and those who have extremely limited or no
access.
For many developing countries, ICT – information and
communication technology – has become a new source of hope, the actual
possibility of overcoming existing social inequalities and divides. When we
think of the digital gap in developing countries, we think of issues like
corruption, service delivery delays, and a lack of public sector
accountability. Many people feel that ICT can solve this problem. Access to
information and communication technology is one of the most critical concerns
for socioeconomic development in developing countries. In addition, ICT in
developing-country schools may provide an excellent opportunity for many
youngsters who do not have access to technology to learn new skills.
Authorities in developing countries must identify and try to solve the problem.
However, it is not so easy because there are different types of digital divides
within a country, such as a gender divide, an age divide, and an income divide.
It is important to pay attention to all of these differences. Furthermore, we
can see ICT has turned into a strong instrument for education to utilize for
teacher’s professional development, reducing the gap of many teachers and
students in remote schools, and increasing every learning environment with a
range of materials available internationally.
However, in order to eliminate the digital gap, the
problem of affordability of various ICT services must be at the forefront of
the development goals. As citizens, we should discuss the importance of this
issue in the fight against poverty and other issues in our globalized society.
References from the article:
Selwyn, N. (2004).
Reconsidering political and popular understandings of the digital divide. New
Media and Society, 6(3), 341–362. doi:10.1177/1461444804042519
Saheb, T (2014). ICT,
Education and Digital Divide in Developing Countries. General Applied and
Scientific University, Tehran.
Contributor: Khelna Bank
Email: khelnabank@gmail.com
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