Key points: Technology can help mitigate the effects of the educational crisis and closures of schools, but ed-tech is not a silver bullet and governments need to have realistic expectations about what it can achieve The digital divide means that internet and mobile network access varies greatly in middle- and low-income countries Governments can provide immediate support by informing teachers about simple grassroots platforms where they can share their own ed-tech solutions Educational TV and radio broadcasts in combination with SMS are effective communication channels between educators and students when the internet connectivity is poor or not available It will be important for education authorities to begin planning how in 12-months’ time they will diagnose and treat the learning gaps that have emerged during the crisis.