The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a loan of $45 million to reduce the digital divide between schools and thus promote successful educational trajectories among students in Ecuador.

During the last decades, the country experienced a notable growth in educational coverage. However, many Ecuadorian boys, girls, and young people do not manage to complete successful school trajectories; low enrollment rates in rural areas, low levels of learning, and low high school completion rates persist.

The digital educational transformation has a crucial role in promoting better educational trajectories. Technology can make instructional materials more appealing and personalized, increasing student engagement. Additionally, the strategic use of technology can improve the quality of teachers, increasing their access to and participation in professional development programs.

The IDB loan will provide connectivity and technological kits to 2,400 rural schools, of which 20% will be intercultural bilingual and 27% belong to Amazonian provinces. In this way, the initiative expects to benefit approximately 48,000 students. In addition, laptops will be purchased for 7,272 teachers from urban and rural schools, benefiting nearly 175,500 students. The program will prioritize teachers from vulnerable schools who participate in academic reinforcement programs to enhance the impact on students' educational trajectories.

The initiative will also benefit 632 urban schools by acquiring technological equipment for computer laboratories. These efforts will positively impact more than 641,000 students.

The IDB loan of $45 million has a disbursement period of 4 years, a grace period of 7.5 years, and an interest rate based on SOFR.