Preparing Schools for a New Learning Reality
According to UNESCO, the COVID-19 pandemic affected more than 1 billion children worldwide. The cost of school closures was high, worsening pre-existing educational disparities and putting an entire generation’s development at risk. By integrating technology into classrooms, students become more engaged in the learning process—making education more accessible, dynamic, and fun.
In response to these challenges, Critical Links provided the C3 Micro-Cloud platform free of charge, giving teachers and students access to a curated set of educational content and activities. This ensured students could stay aligned with an appropriate K–12 curriculum—even when unable to physically attend school.
Over the past few months, the global education community has sought strategies to prepare schools and students for a new learning reality—rebuilding an education system that guarantees learning continuity for all. Most governments implemented remote learning strategies, but these efforts have not benefited all students equally, often relying on uneven access to resources like internet connectivity.
To address this gap, Critical Links offered the C3 Micro-Cloud, providing no-cost access to curated learning content, even in low-connectivity environments. To support broader access to this cloud-based environment, several Ministries of Education around the world partnered with telecommunications and technology providers to grant free access to the domain hosting the central C3 Micro-Cloud instance. This ensured that even students without home internet could still reach the learning materials.
Paraguay was among the countries impacted by the global learning crisis. Long challenged by the need for a stronger educational system, Paraguay undertook a major educational reform in 2017—integrating technology to help every student reach their full potential. That same year, 962 schools across Paraguay received the C3 Micro-Cloud, positively impacting over half a million students.
The C3 Micro-Cloud is a self-contained, cloud-enabled environment that delivers content, applications, and educational resources directly to local students and teachers—even without a constant internet connection. It introduced new tools and methodologies that improved classroom teaching and learning.
So, when schools closed in March 2020 due to COVID-19, many Paraguayan students were already familiar with modern educational tools—podcasts, e-books, quizzes, Khan Academy, Wikipedia, and learning apps like Microbit and Scratch—making the transition to remote learning smoother and faster.
The Paraguayan government, committed to maintaining learning continuity, leveraged the C3 Micro-Cloud instance to provide uninterrupted access to world-class educational materials. However, like many nations, Paraguay faced challenges: high internet costs and the fact that 92% of public-school students lacked internet access at home.
To overcome this, the Ministry of Education partnered with national internet providers—Claro, Copaco, Personal, Tigo, and Vox—to offer free access to the domain hosting the central C3 Micro-Cloud instance. This ensured that students, even while learning from home, continued using the same resources as in the classroom—maintaining a sense of consistency and continuity during a difficult period.
Today, as schools reopen, Paraguay has adopted a Hybrid Education Model. This model offers a consistent, high-quality educational experience: half the students attend classes in person while the other half participate remotely from home. Teachers deliver the same lesson simultaneously to both groups, using the same digital tools and platforms.
This setup ensures that whether students are at school one day or at home the next, they engage with the same learning process. If schools must close again due to health or safety concerns, the learning experience remains consistent. This approach fosters connection, reduces disruption, and keeps students in sync with their teachers and peers.
Paraguay stands as a compelling example of how a national education system can successfully adapt to external pressures—providing students with a stable, secure, and engaging learning experience in an ever-changing world. The C3 Micro-Cloud continues to serve as a critical tool for ensuring the continuity of quality education in thousands of schools worldwide, empowering millions of students to thrive through hybrid education.
