Digital literacy for every child in Montenegro
One in two children in Montenegro aged 9 to 17 do not feel safe online
- Crnogorski
- English
PODGORICA, 16 October 2017 – One in two children in Montenegro aged 9 to 17 do not feel safe online, revealed UNICEF’s last year survey conducted within the End Violence Online campaign.
This research findings, which also show that 20 per cent of parents do not use internet, motivated Telenor to support the End Violence Online campaign implemented by UNICEF and the Government of Montenegro.
The aim is simple – every primary school child should acquire basic digital literacy, while parents and teachers should be ready to support this process and talk to children.
These were her words at the press conference while launching a three year partnership between this company and UNICEF on increasing digital literacy of parents, children and teachers.
UNICEF Representative to Montenegro Osama Khogali pointed out that digital revolution brought about the digital divide, which is reflected not only in an unequal access to internet, but also in different levels of skills to use it.
He reminded that, during the last year, 38% of children had at least one unpleasant experience online. Almost one third of children do not know what to do in such situations. Khogali warned that many parents do not have enough knowledge to teach their children how to use internet safely.
Interventions like this one introducing digital literacy in primary education, establishing communication with parents on this topic through schools and providing relevant resources for increasing digital literacy of parents and teachers, are necessary for eradicating poverty and ensuring that children grow up safely in the digital era.
Deputy Minister of Education Arijana Nikolic Vucinic reminded that digital literacy is one of the key competencies for the 21st century. Every child needs it. Digital literacy is equally needed both in the private and the public sector.
Education system supports initiatives like this one to reach schools, as this is the only way to reach all children without discrimination. All children will learn about digital literacy.
Vucinic added that the Ministry of Education participated, together with UNICEF, in developing the NETFriends educational game which helps children to recognise, prevent, stop and report online violence.
The game is available as a smartphone app, as well as at the website www.netprijatelji.me. It will be used as part of primary school digital literacy resources for children aged 9 to 11.
