A/HRC/32/37 XVI. Recommendations 117. In the light of the above, and taking into consideration the challenges that digital technologies pose to the right to education, the Special Rapporteur offers the recommendations set out below. State responsibility for protecting and safeguarding the right to education 118. While recognizing the importance of opportunities arising from the use of information and communications technologies, States should not forget to look into the downside of such use and the impact of the digital divide on the education system and, in particular, on those who remain marginalized, on the future generation and on society at large. A rights-based approach to digital technologies 119. States should address issues of access, quality and equity in the use of digital technology in education and ensure that students’ right to education is exercised in an equitable manner and that it is fully respected. There is a great risk that technology will widen inequalities in society if an equitable approach to its use is not adopted. State obligations for respecting, protecting and fulfilling the right to education should be a priority concern. Bridging the digital divide 120. All States have the responsibility to achieve the right to education progressively and to the maximum extent of their resources. Implementation strategies must take into account the Sustainable Development Goals and the obligations on the right to education. Disaggregated indicators and annual reports must indicate whether investments are improving the education outcomes of students or creating unintended negative outcomes that require remedial action. Safeguarding education from the forces of privatization 121. The forces of privatization behind the spread of digital learning and education creating a marketplace in education must be exposed through public debate so as to prevent the commoditization of education. The corporate sector should not impinge upon the function and autonomy of education. 122. Public authorities should ensure that the use of digital technologies is considered as a means of education, not as a substitute for face- to-face education. They should recognize that human contact in education is essential to the teaching and learning process. Public authorities should also take the measures necessary to build the capacity of teachers to use digital technologies while retaining freedom in their pedagogic approaches. Teachers must have the competence and be free to adapt digital technologies to local contexts, and the authority to rearrange online teaching materials and methodologies to best serve the country’s education requirements. Promoting open educational resources 123. States should implement the recommendations contained in the 2012 Paris Open Educational Resources Declaration, recognizing their importance for strengthening the use of such resources while at the same time reducing the cost of education for the Government. High-quality textbooks, learning materials and online courses are important in education and, by sharing their development costs and 21