A/HRC/44/39 settings have not been taken into consideration. Furthermore, the problem concerns not only learners but also teachers.30 39. The Special Rapporteur underscores that the issue is not just about having a computer or a mobile telephone. For parents, teachers and learners, knowing how to use these tools is crucial. The Special Rapporteur recalls in this respect that the accessibility criteria set out in paragraph 14 (b) above includes both an informational and a cognitive component. Furthermore, a careful assessment needs to be undertaken on the results achieved by distance online education, as connectivity criteria is far for being proof of a successful education. 40. Thus, the very low level of preparation and training of teachers in distance education, even in the richest countries, is an issue of concern. In a survey carried out by Education International, which represents unions of teachers and other education workers around the globe, only about 29 per cent of respondents said that Governments had provided adequate and sufficient support for teachers during the transition from on-site to digital and distance learning.31 41. While low-tech delivery modalities such as radio and television can and do reach a much larger number of children than the Internet in most contexts, access to the radio is far from universal. Where such modalities have been used, they have not been able to reach the most marginalized and disadvantaged students, including those in rural and remote areas.32 In addition, in some parts of the world, for example in Chad and other low-income countries, the most marginalized still have no access to electricity. 42. Particular concern has been expressed about girls’ access to technologies. Reports indicate that “harmful gender norms and perceptions of risk to girls’ safety or reputation make some parents reluctant to allow girls access to devices. In the poorest countries, women are 33 per cent less likely to use the internet than men.”33 43. The situation of children with disabilities also demands greater attention. Many learners who are deaf or hard of hearing cannot access education and not all web platforms used for distance learning are accessible to learners who are blind.34 44. Solving the issues of access to electricity, access to Internet and high-technologies such as computers is a matter of political will. The Special Rapporteur recalls in this respect the work undertaken by the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights on the right to benefit from scientific progress and its applications, as enshrined in article 15 of the Covenant, and the recent general comment of the Committee on that issue.35 C. Digitization of education: challenges and opportunities 45. Despite shortcomings in accessing online distance learning, use of this mode of learning has considerably accelerated due to the health crisis and may be viewed by many as holding great promise for a better implementation of the right to education for all in the future. 46. While underscoring that many opportunities may indeed arise, the Special Rapporteur warns against promoting easy solutions that will be detrimental, not beneficial, to the right to education. A number of challenges should be addressed and debated, and decisions adopted with the participation of stakeholders, including learners, parents and teachers, based on the right to education. Serious thought must be given to the place and content of digital education, its meaning and efficiency, and its impact on the health and 30 31 32 33 34 35 Education International, “COVID-19 and education: how education unions are responding – survey report” (April 2020), pp. 9–10. Ibid., pp. 6–7. Submission from Save the Children. See also Carvalho and Crawfurd, “School’s out: now what?”. Malala Fund, “Girls’ education and COVID-19”, p. 8. Submission by the International Disability Alliance and the International Disability and Development Consortium. A/HRC/20/26 and general comment No. 25 (2020) on science and economic, social and cultural rights. 11