- For at least 463 million children whose schools closed due to Covid-19, there was no such a thing as remote learning
- Unicef says three quarters of schoolchildren without access to remote learning live in rural areas.
One in every three children has missed out on remote learning during the schools closure, the United Nations Children's Fund has said.
In its latest report titled ‘Are children able to continue learning during school closures?’, Unicef says three quarters of schoolchildren without access to remote learning live in rural areas.
“For at least 463 million children whose schools closed due to Covid-19, there was no such a thing as remote learning,” Unicef executive director Henrietta Fore said.
“The sheer number of children whose education was completely disrupted for months on end is a global education emergency. The repercussions could be felt in economies and societies for decades to come.”
Although the numbers in the report present a concerning picture on the lack of remote learning during school closures, Unicef warns the situation is likely far worse.
Even when children have the technology and tools at home, they may not be able to learn remotely through those platforms due to competing factors at home. These include pressure to do chores, being forced to work, a poor environment for learning and lack of support in using the online or broadcast curriculum.
Schoolchildren from the poorest households and those living in rural areas are by far the most likely to miss out during closures, the report says.
Globally, 72 per cent of schoolchildren unable to access remote learning live in their countries’ poorest households.
The report also notes varying rates of access across age groups, with the youngest students most likely to miss out on remote learning during their most critical years of learning and development
At least 70 per cent of schoolchildren of pre-primary age cannot be reached, largely due to challenges and limitations to online learning for young children, lack of remote learning programmes for this education category and lack of home assets for remote learning.
Upper secondary schoolchildren were the least likely to miss out on remote learning, with at least 18 per cent not having the technological assets to access remote learning.
Unicef urges governments to prioritise the safe reopening of schools when they begin easing lockdown restrictions. When reopening is not possible, the agency asks governments to incorporate compensatory learning for lost instructional time into school continuity and reopening plans.
School opening policies and practices should include expanding access to education, including remote learning, especially for marginalised groups. Education systems must also be adapted and built to withstand future crises.
Edited by Henry Makori