The expansion of mobile internet and the improvement in the quality of connectivity services in Colombia are transforming the country’s educational landscape, according to the latest quarterly report from the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MinTIC).
By the end of 2023, according to MinTIC, mobile internet access in Colombia experienced a notable increase of 3.9%, exceeding 45 million users. Although fixed internet access in homes decreased slightly by 1.8%, reaching 8.9 million Colombians, Service quality improved significantly, with throughput increased by 25% nationwide.
This advance in connectivity is having a positive impact on the education sector. According to the Universidad Piloto de Colombia, “these improvements in connectivity create a favorable scenario for technological democratization in Colombia, opening up new opportunities and challenges, especially in the education sector. Universities are taking advantage of this digital expansion to implement virtual education methodologies, facilitating access to undergraduate and graduate programs in rural areas. and supporting students who are unable to attend in-person classes.”
The Pilot University and High Education Partners presented a report in which they detailed that In 2023, more than 670 higher education enrollments were recorded in virtual mode. Juan Fernando Sánchez Lemus, Marketing Director at Universidad Piloto, highlighted that “these trends were one of the positive things that came with the pandemic, the need to improve internet access and develop digital methodologies that would allow people to continue with their life project. Virtual education fits perfectly here.”
The report also noted that virtual education remains one of the most popular study modalities, even after the pandemic. “This effect is associated with the strengthening of connectivity at the national level, allowing higher education institutions to reach remote areas, implement new educational methodologies and offer programs adapted to the professional needs of the regions,” the report highlights.
However, Sánchez Lemus warns that there are still challenges: “Although we have grown significantly and have strengthened the higher education index, we continue to face challenges that require us to develop a work plan together with the public sector. It invites us to further close the digital gaps, to continue implementing methodologies that allow students to maintain human interaction, generate professional relationships for their future and offer constant support.”
This advance in connectivity represents an important step towards the democratization of education in Colombia, says Sánchez, allowing more people to access quality educational opportunities and contributing to the country’s comprehensive development.
