Maggie Johnson

VP and Global Head of Google.org

Technology is a powerful tool for solving real-world challenges for educators and learners, but access to the latest tools and training is often unequal, especially in communities where the digital divide remains a persistent reality. That’s why we’re announcing a new partnership with UNICEF ¹ . Funded by Google.org, this initiative will support education innovation for millions of students across Brazil, India, Pakistan and Kenya.

By working closely with education leaders and local governments, we aim to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in each country, focusing on improving learning outcomes especially in essential areas like literacy and numeracy, training educators and building more reliable and accessible school systems.

This first-of-its kind partnership between UNICEF, Google for Education and Google.org reinforces our shared commitment to support educators and students globally.

Our partnership with UNICEF

By responsibly integrating AI powered tools to help accelerate progress and reimagine learning, we are pairing Google’s technology with UNICEF’s deep expertise in building education systems to ensure every student has the tools they need to succeed. Over the next three years, UNICEF will work with local communities to build localized, scalable solutions that meet the needs of learners — from training teachers to use Gemini and NotebookLM for personalized instruction, to using ReadAlong to support learners foundational reading fluency and comprehension through guided practice.

For example in Pakistan, which faces some of the highest rates of out-of-school children globally, those in school are often years behind their grade level in literacy and numeracy. To help address this challenge, UNICEF will provide training and technology that helps educators safely use Google AI tools, like Google ReadAlong, to deliver adaptive learning at scale, both in and out of school.

In partnership with the Government of Kenya, UNICEF will launch a digital learning program centered on three core pillars: training educators, increasing learners’ access to technology and building a more durable, sustainable education policy to support future generations. By integrating AI tools like Gemini for Education and NotebookLM, to complement other initiatives on improving learning, they aim to provide secure, reliable access to digital learning for in-school and-out-of-school adolescents and youth and deepen essential skills like critical thinking and problem-solving to prepare them for an AI-driven future.

In addition to funding from Google.org, Google will work closely with UNICEF to provide improved access to the technology tools needed to implement these holistic solutions, as well as technical support through ongoing product workshops and training for UNICEF staff, local government, and education leaders.

UNICEF will compile annual impact reports that measure and evaluate the effectiveness of the solutions deployed in each country. Together we will work to ensure that successful solutions implemented in each country are scalable and replicable across communities worldwide.

This partnership aligns with UNICEF’s Digital Education Strategy, which seeks to go “beyond digital as usual” by delivering digital learning solutions designed around children’s rights, teachers’ needs, and communities’ realities.