Although the Romanians are enjoying some of the fastest internet connections in Europe, the country’s general population is digitally illiterate, communications minister Augustin Jianu said on Tuesday at a local conference.

“Although we know very well that we have some of the highest broadband Internet speeds in Europe, and maybe in the world, the level of penetration is very low. Although we have many good IT and communications experts, their number is quite small when compared to the general population. At present, Romania’s general population is digitally illiterate,” the minister said, reports local Agerpres.

Thus, Augustin Jinau believes that it is important to develop the population’s digital literacy, starting with the teachers and parents.

“If we miss this fourth industrial revolution, it will be very hard for us to evolve as a country and achieve our goals. First of all, we must improve the digital literacy of teachers and parents. There, the understanding of digital transformations, the magnitude of these changes is the lowest,” Jianu added.

The Ministry of Communications has thus thought of a project, together with the Ministry of Education, under which children would learn more effective and safer ways of using technology. The project is to also address teachers and parents.

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Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com