COVID-19: 40 per cent countries failed to support learners at risk says UNESCO
New Delhi, June 24: At least 40 per cent low and lower-middle income countries across the world failed to support learners at risk during school shutdown due to the COVID-19 crisis, according to UNESCO's 2020 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) report.
The annual report's fourth edition, released on Tuesday, also pointed out that less then 10 per cent of countries across the world have laws that help ensure full inclusion in education.
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"COVID-19 has given us a real opportunity to think afresh about our education systems. But moving to a world that values and welcomes diversity won't happen overnight. There is an obvious tension between teaching all children under the same roof and creating an environment where students learn best. But, COVID-19 has showed us that there is scope to do things differently, if we put our minds to it," said Manos Antoninis, Director of the Global Education Monitoring Report.
The report stated that education systems often fail to take learners' special needs into account.
"Just 41 countries worldwide officially recognized sign language and, globally, schools were more eager to get internet access than to cater for learners with disabilities. Some 335 million girls attended schools that did not provide them with the water, sanitation and hygiene services they required to continue attending class during menstruation," the report said.
The Global Education Monitoring Report (GEM Report) is developed by an independent team and published by UNESCO. It has the official mandate of monitoring progress in meeting the Sustainable Development Goal on education.
The report provides an in-depth analysis of key factors for exclusion of learners in education systems worldwide, including background, identity and ability, gender, age, location, poverty, disability, ethnicity, indigeneity, language, religion, migration or displacement status, sexual orientation or gender identity expression, incarceration, beliefs and attitudes.
"Almost half of low- and middle-income countries do not collect enough education data about children with disabilities. Household surveys are key for breaking education data down by individual characteristics. But 41 per cent of countries -- home to 13 per cent of the world's population -- did not conduct surveys or make available data from such surveys. Figures on learning are mostly taken from school, failing to take into account those not attending," it said.
"Inadequate
data
means
we
are
missing
a
huge
part
of
the
picture.
It
is
no
wonder
the
inequalities
suddenly
exposed
during
COVID-19
took
us
by
surprise,"
Antoninis
said.
According
to
UNESCO
estimates,
over
154
crore
students
are
severely
impacted
by
closure
of
educational
institutions
across
the
world
amid
the
COVID-19
outbreak
due
to
which
girls
will
be
the
worst
hit
as
it
will
lead
to
increased
drop-out
rates
and
further
entrench
gender
gaps
in
education.