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Effects of school closure for another year can last for generations – UNICEF’s Executive Director
Executive Director of UNICEF, Henrietta Fore.
Kaieteur News – If schools are closed for another year, the effects will be felt for generations to come according to the Executive Director of the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Henrietta H. Fore.
In a statement issued on January 12 last, the Executive Director said, “Despite overwhelming evidence of the impact of school closures on children, and despite increasing evidence that schools are not drivers of the pandemic, too many countries have opted to keep schools closed, some for nearly a year.”
She lamented that as countries across the world approach the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic and cases continue to rise, much effort should be made to keep schools open or prioritize them in reopening plans for the country or problems will be encountered for many years to come.
According to Fore, the closure of schools due to pandemic lockdowns affected 90 percent of students worldwide and more than a third of them were left with no access to remote education. Adding to that, she said, “The number of out-of-school children is set to increase by 24 million, to a level we have not seen in years and have fought so hard to overcome.”
The closure of schools has also affected children’s ability to read, write and do basic math. Some even suffered a loss of skills necessary to progress in the economy of the 21st century.
Fore further stressed that the health, development, safety and well-being of many children are at risk and the most vulnerable among them will “bear the heaviest brunt.”
She said that without school meals, many children have been left hungry, with their nutrition worsening. They are also losing their physical fitness because there has been a reduction in mobility due to the lack of daily motion. Also highlighted was that there are no more interactions with their peers on a daily basis and children have been showing signs of mental distress. The Executive Director said that without the safety net that schools often provide, they are more vulnerable to abuse, child marriage and child labour.
“That’s why closing schools must be a measure of last resort, after all other options have been considered,” Fore maintained.
She also maintained that in cases of lockdowns, schools must be among the first to reopen once relevant authorities start lifting restrictions. There is also a need for catch-up classes, which should be prioritized to ensure that children who have been unable to learn remotely are not left behind.
Fore recommended that the risk of transmission be assessed at a local level which would be a key determinant in decisions regarding school operations. Where there are high levels of community transmission, health systems are under extreme pressure and where closing schools is deemed inevitable, she said that safeguarding measures must be implemented. This includes ensuring that children who are at risk of violence in their homes, those reliant on school meals and whose parents are essential workers can continue their education in their classrooms.
However, Fore still believes that nationwide school closures should be avoided as much as possible.
Notably, Guyana’s schools would have been closed for physical classes since March last year and a conditional reopening for face-to-face classes was only approved last November for grades 10, 11, 12 and Technical and Vocational Education students.
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