12% of children in the Republic of Moldova face bullying on social networking sites and are often alone and do not enjoy immediate support. The data were presented at a national conference centering on the transformation of the educational process in the digital age. Present at the event, executive director of La Strada Moldova International Center Elena Botezatu said that the unpleasant experiences that minors face online can affect the way children interact with their peers or even their school performance.
Dozens of teachers, students, educational managers, ICT industry specialists and representatives of civil society gathered at the conference organized by La Strada Moldova International Center to discuss the role of schools in ensuring a safe digital experience, IPN reports.
Elena Botezatu underlined the importance of preventing risks in the online environment through joint efforts. "We believe in the power of the educational community. We believe in the power that the school can have in this regard and we believe that only together we can make the experience of each child in the online environment positive," said the Center’s executive director.
UNICEF Moldova Country Representative Maha Damaj said that the digital world is a paradox: it connects us all, but it also isolates us. It offers immense opportunities for learning and development, but it hides risks in places that even the most vigilant adults cannot see. Maha Damaj noted the importance of parents, teachers, policymakers, communities and technology companies working together to create a digital world where no child is left venerable.
"Today's discussions are part of this collective effort. By sharing strategies, learning from children and coming together as a global state, we can transform the digital world into a place where the children do not only feel safe, but have the power to explore, learn and grow safely," said the UNICEF representative.
Secretary of state at the Ministry of Education and Research Valentina Olaru noted that the use of digital tools in the educational process raises the quality and the added value much higher than the use of traditional methods. At the same time, they produce even more challenges to be addressed. "When each one separately tries to do something good, to develop digital skills and safety skills in the online environment, things do not go as well as they go through synergy, when we make joint efforts," said Valentina Olaru.
In addition to interactive sessions and planned panel discussions, there will also be held an awards gala for teachers who achieved outstanding results in promoting children's safety online.
