UN: Coronavirus Keeps 1 Billion Out of School; largest disruption of education ever

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‘Largest Disruption of Education Ever’: U.N. Says Coronavirus Keeps 1 Billion Out of School

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The United Nations said this week that the ongoing coronavirus pandemic had triggered the “largest disruption of education ever,” as school closures in more than 160 nations in mid-July are “affecting over 1 billion students.”

“At least 40 million children worldwide have missed out on education in their critical pre-school year, “U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared in written remarks prepared for a video briefing on Tuesday.

Echoing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Guterres called for the safe reopening of schools, including in-person learning “once local transmission of COVID-19 is under control.”

As a result of the Chinese coronavirus’s impact on education, “We face a generational catastrophe that could waste untold human potential, undermine decades of progress, and exacerbate entrenched inequalities,” he said.

“The knock-on effects on child nutrition, child marriage, and gender equality, among others, are deeply concerning,” the U.N. leader added.

On Tuesday, Guterres also unveiled a 26-page policy brief on how the Chinese coronavirus is upending education systems across the world and what governments can do to get children back in school.

He issued the recommendations alongside a new global pro-education campaign called “Save our Future.”

“We have issued guidance to help governments in this complex endeavor,” he said. “It will be essential to balance health risks against risks to children’s education and protection, and to factor in the impact on women’s labor force participation.”

Guterres also urged governments to prioritize boosting education, “the great equalizer,” noting that the school funding gap between low- and middle-income countries has expanded in recent months. He also said governments must provide educational opportunities to “those at greatest risk of being left behind – people in emergencies and crises; minority groups of all kinds; displaced people and those with disabilities.”

“They should be sensitive to the specific challenges faced by girls, boys, women, and men, and should urgently seek to bridge the digital divide,” Guterres added.

Last week, CDC Director Robert Redfield said the U.S. must reopen schools K through 12 with in-person learning this fall for public health reasons, such as preventing suicides, drug abuse, and domestic violence.

Some Democrats have come out against reopening schools this fall, asserting that it is unsafe.

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