Tackle barriers to education, invest in digital infrastructure, lower connectivity costs: UN Report

To ensure access to education for all technological barriers have to be removed by investing in digital infrastructure and lowering connectivity costs, recommended a UN report on Education.

According to the report titled, “Policy Brief: Education During Covid-19 and Beyond” low-tech and no-tech approaches should not be forgotten for those who have limited access to technology. Overall, countries need to plan to ensure children from the poorest households will not continue to be left behind.

The report further added that the focus should be on addressing learning losses and preventing drop outs, particularly of marginalised groups.

Prevent drop outs

“Some 23.8 million additional children and youth (from pre-primary to tertiary) could drop out or not have access to school next year due to the pandemic’s economic impact alone,” said António Guterres, UN Secretary-General.

The report said that to enhance consultation and communication mechanisms, consultation with all the stakeholders is the key for effective implementation of plans and to enhance resilience of education sector.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has created the largest disruption of education systems in history, affecting nearly 1.6 billion learners in all countries and all continents,” added Guterres.

A key condition to reopening of schools is being able to ensure a safe return to physical premises, while maintaining physical distancing and implementing public health measures. With overcrowded classes and areas without basic infrastructure and services and will require additional investment.

To spur global momentum around the education emergency and the need to protect and re-imagine education in a post-COVID-19 world, a coalition of global organisations is joining forces to launch the ‘Save Our Future’ campaign. This campaign will amplify the voices of children and young people and urge governments worldwide to recognise investment in education as critical to recovery recovery, he added.