Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. A discussion under the theme ‘Digital Transition in Education’ was organized on August 11 at the State House with a view to define the opportunities, encountering problems and future trends of the education industry in the time of development of information technology. 

Yesterday’s discussion was held in connection with the government’s recent decision to organize classes in a combination of a physical classroom learning and online lessons in the academic year of 2020-2021 to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

Opening the discussion participated by delegates from education and information technology industry, Head of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Innovation and Online Policy, MP N.Uchral said “Adequate and effective practices of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, which leading us to new development trend, are able to increase access to education, improve education quality in remote areas and increase enrollment and participation to all levels of schools. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Innovation and Online Policy will pay special attention on enhancing effectiveness of online classes and creating proper legal environment system.” 

During the discussion, officials from corresponding organizations delivered presentations addressing topics such as ‘Digital transition in general education’, ‘Digital transition in higher education’, and ‘Current state and opportunities of telecommunication and information technology of Mongolia’ and a presentation on the practices at the University of Finance and Economics and the secondary school No. 23”.

In his presentation ‘Digital transition in general education”, Head of the General Education Department of the Ministry of Education and Science T.Nyam-Ochir stressed the importance of creating a legal environment for the digital transition as a necessity has arisen to consider other alternatives to traditional classroom learning because of the ongoing pandemic. “Based on the current system and technologies used in the country’s education industry, it is fully possible to make digital transition, which supports quality education and teacher development.”

“First of all, it is required to evaluate the outcomes, accessibility and quality of TV classes given in the first half of this year, taking into consideration some problems, lack of access to internet connection for the children living in rural areas and Ger districts of Ulaanbaatar city. The given pressing issues must be tackled with the help of a set of detailed and strict standards on non-classroom education and a favorable legal framework for it” MP Ts.Munkhtsetseg said at the event.  

Participants of the discussion were in complete agreement on the proposals to develop and use an integrated online learning platform and have a legal environment for online learning.

Noting the significance of identifying the online education and online learning and reflect the matters into the regulatory framework, MP Uchral informed that certain works of digital transition are underway at universities, higher education institutions and general education schools, such as developing an online training curriculum, building an integrated platform and so on.