We cannot let the education gap widen
at the start of the Decade of Action
By Yasmine Sherif
Yasmine Sherif is director,
Education Cannot Wait
NEW YORK, May 13, 2020
(IPS) – Prior to the COVID-
19 pandemic, we estimated
that 75 million children and
youth – of whom 39 million
are girls – were not able
to access a quality education
in countries impacted by
armed conflicts, forced displacement,
natural disasters
and climate change-induced
emergencies. The impact of
COVID-19 has both globally
and exponentially deepened
the already existing critical
education crisis.
In countries affected by
humanitarian crises, restrictive
movement measures
(including curfews), have led
to the closure of schools and
loss of access to education,
psychosocial services, school
feeding, hygiene and protection
– all components of a
quality education.
In many of these countries,
weak infrastructure
does not allow for remote
learning through technology.
In most parts of Afghanistan,
in the Central African
Republic or in Chad, to mention
just a few, remote technological
learning is simply
not an option today – further
contributing to the education
divide. At the same time,
we know that quality, inclusive
education is a foundational
Sustainable Development
Goal (SDG4) necessary
to advance all other SDGs.
Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, president of the 74th session of the General Assembly, addresses
the closing plenary meeting of the 73rd session of the General Assembly.
United Nations / Loey Felipe
Contributing Writers: Azad Ali, Tangerine Clarke,
Patrick Horne, Nelson King,
Vinette K. Pryce, Bert Wilkinson,
GENERAL INFORMATION (718) 260-2500
Caribbean L 10 ife, May 15-21, 2020
In the words of the President
of the UN General
Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad
Bande: “Given the
importance of education in
achieving the 2030 Agenda,
we must ensure that we
urgently tackle the disruptions
that the pandemic has
already caused … While it
has been easier for developed
countries to transit to remote
learning, many governments
around the world found it
difficult or impossible.”
The President of the UN
General Assembly concluded,
“We cannot allow this pandemic
to widen the educational
gap that already exists.
I call on you all 193 Member
States to make cooperation
in education a key element
in your response to this pandemic.”
Indeed, in countries affected
by armed conflicts and
forced displacement, we can
expect to see a significant
increase in long-term loss
of access to inclusive quality
education due to COVID-
19. We will see an increase
in school drop-out rates and
a reduction in psychosocial
support and other protection
mechanisms for students and
teachers alike. This, in turn,
will impact socio-economic
development and the ability
to build back better.
A crisis, however complicated
it is, must be a trigger
for immediate action, rather
than a cause for delay. An
early response stands greater
chances of mitigating the
impact and reduce the risk of
a growing education divide.
As the President of the UN
General Assembly highlighted,
education needs to be a
priority within the COVID-19
response.
Thanks to the support
of Education Cannot Wait’s
strategic donor constituency,
a coordinated, comprehensive
emergency investment
was rapidly released
in April to UN agencies and
Civil Society organizations
to enable them to quickly
deliver education support for
vulnerable girls and boys in
26 crisis-affected countries.
This emergency investment
empowers: Ministries
of Education in developing
catch-up programmes and
condensed curricula to prevent
loss in the school year;
production of distance learning
material for pre-primary,
primary and secondary levels;
home-based learning and
special measures for children
with disabilities; expansion
of radio and television education;
COVID-19 awareness
raising for children, parents
and teachers; disinfection of
schools; access to improved
water and hygiene facilities
and supplies; psychosocial
counselling; and, the continued
payment of teachers’
salaries during the crisis.
However, the needs remain
enormous and urgent. Education
Cannot Wait will therefore
release a second round
of investments in June. To
this end, we have launched
an appeal to both public and
private sector donors for $50
million. We are deeply grateful
to the United Kingdom
and the LEGO Foundation
for their swift contributions
to cover 42% of the appeal,
while Denmark has matched
and frontloaded committed
funding. However, at the
time of writing, $29 million,
is still urgently needed.
Unless we invest in education
now – in the midst of
the global COVID-19 crisis
– much of the progress made
through joint efforts among
many different actors and
organizations will be lost;
perhaps irreversibly for millions
of girls and boys, whose
vulnerabilities will rapidly
increase. Whatever befalls
us in the coming ten years,
whatever crises we face,
there is one thing we cannot
do. We cannot slide back on
our progress and let the gap
widen during the Decade of
Action.
OP-ED
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