“Digital literacy is no longer a luxury. It’s really a social justice issue. It’s a 21st century civil rights issue.” – Cheptoo Kositany-Buckner,  American professor.

There is no denying that science and technology in today’s world are basic tools that benefit both the younger and the older generation. Digital and information literacy, in fact, are crucial for our survival and advancement in today’s fast-paced and evolving world.  Constraints caused by the Covid-10 emergency have shown that in many ways our survival depends on the knowledge and use of advanced technology. 

This is an era of sharing and collaboration, brought by the exponential growth of the internet, particularly the social web services and the fast development of ICT. ICT is becoming increasingly central to many people’s lives, making it possible to connect remotely in any place any time. We are no longer mere passive receivers of information and knowlege but instead we are active and reactive – searching, creating, sharing and commenting on content of multiple contexts and contributing to collective intelligence.

Our new connectivity

The importance of digital and information literacy has become even more obvious in the last few months. The Covid-19 pandemic has practically locked us in our homes. Thanks to the many alternative ways to stay connected remotely – particularly with our elderly, we do not have to break our social bonds.

Our highly advanced digital connectivity is thanks to this government's insight and determination to launch the country as a digital island. A memorandum of understanding between the Government of Malta and Microsoft in 2018, among other things, focuses on the digital citizen. It aims to increase awareness of disruptive technologies and to enhance the digital literacy amongst us, particularly the elderly. This memorandum is part of the National Digital Strategy 2014-2020 for Malta and Gozo and has proven to be a great success.

My commitment

The Labour government's holistic committment to the well-being of all citizens has left no stone unturned. The most vulnerable in our society, particularly our elderly, have been included in digital and information literacy since many years back. In 2015, during my tenure as Parliamentary Secretary for the Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Aging, I was actively involved in the launching of inititatives that promoted and enhanced independent living and active ageing through further learning and use of digital devices. In fact, my team provided various learning programmes that enabled older persons to engage in active citizenship. Day centres were transformed into lifelong learning hubs with curricula covering various subjects that included ICT. This was also extended to state and private residential homes so that the digital divide among older persons was diminished and alternative communication enhanced.

In 2017, I was involved as Minister for Gozo in the launching of a course themed EM Citizen. It encouraged the elderly in Gozo to embark on a journey to discover and strenghten digital and information literacy. This initiative proved to be a huge success and has helped bring digital technology - particularly the internet and social media - into the homes and residential institutions of the island. Thanks to these courses many Gozitan elderly are now actively involved and connected with their loved ones, their parishes and NGO’s from the comfort of their homes in a time when lockdown can be lonely, depressing and hard to adjust to.

These investments in our elderly has proven to be crucial in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic we are experiencing today. Our elderly are being given the same rights as others and are being protected through all means possible. They have access to health and social care, while social exclusion and discrimination are non-existant.

Statistics and facts

Eurostat figures show that the elderly who live alone or in the community are 27.7% of the Maltese population.  Additionally, the elderly using the internet at least once a week on our islands is of 36.5%. These figures are encouraging and close to the average in other European Union countries. Labour's approach towards equality and access to information technology for all has proven to be a godsend in these trying times. It served very well as an alternative way to overcome schools' closure with many dedicated teachers extending their commitment to students and parents alike.  Many employees could work online from home and businesses showed their resilience by diversifying their services through digital technology.

It is now up to us to make good use of our connectivity and reach out, particularly to our elderly, particularly those who live alone  - a push of a button, a telephone call or video chatting could make a huge difference and ease the burden of isolation. Connecting through telephone, internet and social media ensures that no one is left out, alone or afraid. It is a means of continuum – a new way of adapting to new realities that will help us come out of this pandemic stronger, more resilient and more united than ever before.

The way forward

This is because as a nation, the wonderful tools available at our fingertips link us all together as one and open our eyes to realities that perhaps were not so obvious in the past. With more time on our hands to introspect and observe the world around us, our psyche will naturally expand to include us as a people with the rest of the world.

NOW is a time to forge stronger bonds and inject further incentives - both within the family and the commercial levels. E-commerce will certainly be enhanced as it has proved to be a major tool for a more efficient accessibility that surpasses traditional bureaucratic hurdles.

NOW is the time for government to provide stronger incentives and assistance to enable those who are being resilient and creative to sustain their economic activity on digital platforms.

NOW is the time to strengthen and increase e-government services, especially in those areas where resistance was previously encoutered. COVID-19 presented several challenges but we must look at opportunities too.

A Labour government will continue to be the leader towards one goal – to create a just and equitable society and a better world in which to live.  Tomorrow's scenario will certainly be quite different from the one we were used to. Technological connectivity has proved to be crucial during this pandemic and it will be key to a rational and practical way forward.