The ICT minister, Karen Abudinen, explains the news of the program, which is a new version in En TIC Confío. With it they hope to reach 1.8 million people throughout the country
This Thursday, the Ministry of ICT presented from El Santuario (Antioquia) In TIC Confío +, the continuation of a program that has been promoting the portfolio for 10 years to educate citizens in the responsible use of information technologies and the communication.
This initiative, which has an investment of $ 7.2 million by 2021, seeks to raise awareness about the skills that Internet users should have, teach how to identify the risks of the network and promote digital activism.
According to ICT Minister Karen Abudinen, the new phase of the project will reach 1.8 million people. It includes workshops for girls, boys and adolescents from 6 to 18 years old, an “Academy of Transformative Leaders” aimed at people between 11 and 28 years old, and sessions for adults.
“At TIC Confío last year it was completely virtual. This year we are going to reach all departments raising awareness in society through pedagogical strategies and blended work, ”Abudinen told El Espectador.
Along these lines, she explained that there will be virtual workshops that can be combined with face-to-face activities in educational institutions as long as biosafety measures and protocols are considered.
In addition, the workshops for adults are intended to provide tools that allow the approach to the digital environment and provide recommendations to promote the accompaniment of minors without this implying restrictions.
In fact, another novelty is that this program will involve community leaders to explain to minors how to prevent risks associated with ‘grooming’ (which is when an adult contacts a minor online for sexual activities), the ‘ sexting ‘(sending sexual messages), cyberbullying and cyber dependence.
“Today internet traffic and the use of technology have exceeded levels that we had never reached in previous years. The pandemic has played a very important role because it has accelerated processes, but we also have to work on a healthy use of these technologies that we have, “added the minister.
Connectivity in the regions
These types of initiatives only make sense in places where the internet reaches. In this regard, the portfolio manager explains that En TIC Confío + will be carried out in parallel with government projects to bring connectivity to the departments.
