The UNICEF is expanding its Tinkering with Tech Initiative to more countries, reinforcing its commitment to advancing artificial intelligence and digital literacy for children worldwide. Announced during a partnership workshop in Helsinki on 28 and 29 January 2026, the expansion marks a significant step in scaling hands-on, experiential learning opportunities for students and teachers.
UNICEF's Global Learning Innovation Hub in Helsinki runs the Tinkering
with Tech Initiative, which teaches young people how to think like computers
and use AI in real life. The program will grow into Lao PDR, Ukraine, and
Uzbekistan after a successful pilot in 2024 in Honduras, the Maldives,
Montenegro, and Vietnam.
The move comes at a very important time for education around the world.
Over 250 million children are still not in school, and many of the ones who are
enrolled are having trouble with basic math and reading skills. UNICEF's
Tinkering with Tech Initiative aims to speed up fair access to high-quality
digital learning tools that get kids ready for a future that will be driven by
technology.
A key driver of the Tinkering with Tech Initiative has been its
collaboration with global technology leader Arm, which has served as a
strategic partner since the programme’s launch. Arm continues to work alongside
UNICEF to broaden access to AI education and ensure that children from diverse
backgrounds can engage with emerging technologies.
Fran Baker, Director of Sustainability and Social Impact at Arm,
emphasized the importance of equipping young people with creativity and
problem-solving skills in an increasingly digital society. The partnership
reflects a shared commitment to democratizing AI access and fostering
innovation at an early age.
The expansion also means that the Micro:bit Educational Foundation,
which was very important in the first phase, will work with us again. The
foundation helped teachers get better at their jobs and taught students how to
use the micro:bit device to solve real-world problems by using design thinking
principles.
Melanie Washington, Chief Partnerships Officer at the Micro:bit
Educational Foundation, said that the project helped both teachers and students
feel more confident. The next step will add Learning Pathways for AI and
micro:bit CreateAI to get kids more involved and give them the tools they need
to be creators instead of just users of technology.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation joins the Tinkering with Tech
Initiative as a new implementing partner. Through its AI literacy programme
Experience AI, the foundation will contribute expertise in curriculum
development, non-formal learning, and research.
Philip Colligan CBE, the CEO of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, stressed
how important it is to help teachers feel confident teaching AI in a way that
is useful and relevant. The goal of the initiative is to help students
understand how AI technologies affect their communities and daily lives by
connecting lessons to real-life situations.
This model of working together fits with UNICEF's larger plan to bring
together governments, educators, and private sector partners to make digital
learning solutions that are open to everyone and last a long time.
The Tinkering with Tech Initiative places strong emphasis on inclusion.
UNICEF aims to ensure that girls, children with disabilities, and marginalized
communities gain equal access to digital and AI education. By prioritizing
local context and culturally relevant approaches, the initiative supports
meaningful learning outcomes rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.
Frank van Cappelle, who runs UNICEF's Global Learning Innovation Hub,
said that using education technology responsibly means giving both kids and
teachers the skills they need for the twenty-first century. He stressed how
important it is to improve education in science, technology, engineering, and
math while also encouraging fairness and innovation that comes from the
community.
As the Tinkering with Tech Initiative expands into new regions, it
represents more than a technology programme. It is a long-term investment in
educational resilience and digital empowerment. By combining hands-on learning,
teacher support, and strategic partnerships, UNICEF aims to bridge gaps in
access and opportunity.
This project is turning big ideas about the world into real actions in
the classroom. The Tinkering with Tech Initiative is helping to shape a
generation that is not only ready to deal with changes in technology, but also
to lead them in a responsible way.
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