With tens of millions of children around the world are deprived of basic education due to extreme poverty, armed conflicts, lack of resources and infrastructure. Some times natural disasters or other reasons make education out of reach.
Current COVID-19 pandemic situation has prevented around 1.7 billion students across the globe from attending schools in light of precautionary measures taken to control the spread of the virus by vast majority of countries in the world.
Unfortunately, the scene is still not clear how the world will handle this crisis when it comes to schooling under the uncertainty and fear of second wave of the COVID-19 spread which may increase the number of children deprived of their education, as more countries and cities shutter schools indefinitely.
As governments across the globe continue to grapple with these challenges, some of the schools which have enough facilities and infrastructure, have adopted and implemented solutions for distance learning, while majority of students in poor countries have been left without access to distance learning due to lack of infrastructures, relevant approved digital content and the availability of hardware.
The Education Above All Foundation, as a global organisation acting as an umbrella for several educational programmes, recently hosted with other partners a high-level, virtual side-event entitled ‘Education and the Trying Times of COVID-19’ during the HLPF 2020.
The HLPF annual meeting brought together ministries, partners, and experts from around the world to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the education for the most marginalised and reflected on how they can further collaborate, exchange critical information, to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, and help address the financial deficiency to build back better education systems.
Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the UN H E Ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani, participated in the event, where participants explained that the COVID-19 has exposed global health fragility, and exacerbated existing inequalities leaving many vulnerable. They highlighted that digital learning goes beyond access to technology, stressing the importance of acting aggressively to expand connectivity and make sure teachers have the ability to use digital resources, available at the classroom level & integrated with the curriculum.
Even before COVID-19, tens of millions of children at the primary level were permanently out of school, and there was already a funding gap. COVID-19 is costing governments billions and educational needs are now competing harder with other critical sectors. As 70 million children and youth are at risk of not returning to school, participants emphasised importance of rebuilding an education system that allows for great innovation, sustainability, equity, and inclusion to leave no one behind.
