Improving girls' digital skills through video games

Piloted in four rural public schools in 2023, the Game Changers Coalition (GCC) has now been replicated in 40 schools across six provinces in Cambodia and aims to expand nationwide.

GCC, developed by UNICEF's Office of Innovation, helps girls learn Science , Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects combined with elements of art and creativity through the design and development of video games.

Ms. Sineth Seng, Deputy Director of the Digital Transformation Department of the Cambodian Ministry of Education , Youth and Sports, commented that the program showed clear potential right from the first days of implementation.

“The program is simple but effective: Learning through fun and entertainment,” she said. This also fits perfectly with the Cambodian government ’s efforts to expand digital skills.

Closing the gender gap in technology

Despite 2 billion people playing video games globally, nearly half of whom are female, only about 25% of the workforce in the video game development industry is female. GCC was founded to close the global digital gender gap by equipping adolescent girls with the skills they need to move from gaming to learning to earning.

In addition to game development training, GCC’s curriculum is expanding with new modules, including blockchain. The goal is to provide young women with the skills they need to navigate and play an active role in the rapidly growing digital economy.

For many involved, GCC’s mission is also deeply personal. “I put my heart into it,” says Seng. “As a woman in this industry, I want girls to achieve more and I want the community to change the perception of what they can and cannot do.”

Initially, the GCC program in Cambodia faced many barriers. Some teachers were confused by the concept of “learning through play.” Many parents still held the stereotype that girls should become housewives, and the children themselves thought that STEM was only for boys.

However, according to Ms. Sineth Seng, those stereotypes are gradually being broken down as the program expands and shows clear results. One of the key factors that makes GCC successful is the active participation of female university students, who act as ambassadors and mentors, guiding girls to approach technology in a close and inspiring way.

Sereny Mechspring, a food technology and engineering student at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, has been a mentor for the program since December 2023. Sereny shared: "Many students think STEM is dry, full of formulas and complicated techniques. But when creativity is added, everything becomes closer and more vivid.

It's not just about technology, it's about storytelling, design, problem solving and imagination. That's what makes STEM fun and exciting, especially for girls, and helps them see that they belong in this field."

UNICEF is working with partners in technology and gaming to reach 1.1 million students by 2027. Launched in six countries – Armenia, Brazil, Cambodia, India, Kazakhstan and South Africa – in 2023, the Game Changers Coalition has rapidly expanded to Malaysia and Morocco. To date, the initiative has reached more than 154,000 adolescent girls, their parents and teachers.

Sereny Mechspring is also a food entrepreneur and co-founder of a startup that offers introductory courses in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and STEM-related career advice. She hopes to be an inspiration and mentor for girls.

Inspiring the next generation

In fact, the journey to promote female participation in technology in Cambodia still has many challenges, from eliminating gender stereotypes about girls' abilities, changing traditional concepts about teaching methods to building infrastructure for electricity, internet connection and computers for remote areas.

Ms. Sineth Seng affirmed that GCC becomes a core part of the country's long-term strategy to prepare the next generation of girls for a better future.

"The role of teachers is not to impart all knowledge but to let students discover and create their own knowledge through curiosity and learning. This method will equip them with essential skills suitable for the 21st century working world," Ms. Seng emphasized.

Source: UNICEF

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/nang-cao-ky-nang-so-cho-tre-em-gai-thong-qua-tro-choi-dien-tu-20250721130803999.htm