Education endures

The COVID-19 shutdowns have resulted in millions of children being out of school. School closures are likely to prove more than an interruption in the schooling of many girls and boys, putting an end to their education forever.

According to UNESCO, the COVID-19 shutdowns have resulted in millions of children being out of school - approximately 1.8 billion worldwide in mid-April.

Many of them aren’t just missing out on learning and academic opportunities. They’re also missing midday school meals, a critical supplement for families in low-income countries in particular, where food averages 60% of household expenditure. With families plunging into malnutrition and poverty, school closures are likely to prove more than an interruption in the schooling of many girls and boys, putting an end to their education forever.

A number of our partner organisations have moved fast to fill the gaps, taking action beyond their usual operations to provide humanitarian relief for the most vulnerable.

Others are turning to distance learning options, using channels that don’t depend on Internet connectivity, which is largely unavailable in the areas they serve.

Educate Girls, which works in India to boost girls’ school enrolment and attendance, is undertaking the critical distribution of ration kits to 1,517 extremely marginalized villages in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, reaching approximately 42,000 households. The kits include wheat flour, salt, sugar, soya beans, dal, masala and soap.