Governments and communities must act now to ensure that millions of vulnerable children do not lose out on their education as schools close their gates to try and contain the Coronavirus outbreak, warns Save the Children.
As daycares, schools and universities across Canada have closed their doors, more than 120 additional countries worldwide have taken similar measures, introducing nation-wide school and university closures that have already affected nearly three-quarters of the world’s student population – an estimated 1.2 billion learners – according to UNESCO. That number is expected to rise as the Coronavirus looks set to spread further.
Save the Children calls on governments in Canada and internationally to urgently ensure appropriate care is available to children along with inclusive remote learning, recognizing school closures will hit the most marginalized children hardest who also have the most limited access to books and technology. It’s also vital that governments support teachers and equip them with the skills to provide quality distance teaching, as well as support to parents who can play a vital role in supporting children’s continued learning.
The impact of school closures extends beyond disruption to education – they also carry other risks to marginalized children and children from low-income households, because many may rely on school meals to support their daily nutrition. Children’s regular routines and sense of normalcy are also disrupted through school closures, which can cause increased anxiety at a time when caregivers are also experiencing high levels of stress due to COVID-19.
In Canada, we know that many schools on-reserve do not have access to distance learning technologies, and some lack basic amenities like libraries. These closures present further health risks to some Indigenous children, whose homes may be overcrowded or in some instances unsafe. Save the Children calls on the government to recognize and respond to the unique context of Indigenous children during this time, in consultation with Indigenous children, youth and communities, as a part of Canada’s support to Indigenous communities in preparing for and responding to COVID-19.
Bill Chambers, President and CEO of Save the Children, said:
“We are facing an unprecedented situation. The number of children suddenly out of school or university is equivalent to the entire population of India. With children’s education interrupted from coast to coast to coast in Canada and globally, hundreds of millions of students won’t be able to return to normal classes for months, possibly longer, with many important exams postponed or cancelled altogether.
“We know from experience that the longer children are out of school, the more likely it is they will never return, especially girls and those from low-income households. That’s why governments in Canada and overseas must put in place easy-to-use distance learning tools now, ensuring the technologies used aren’t excluding poor, disabled or marginalized children, including children in Indigenous communities and those living in poverty. We need to get creative. In communities with little or no access to the internet for example, radio programs can enable children to continue their learning.
“Now is the time for the world to pull together to protect the most at-risk children in Canada and around the world, who are going to be hardest hit by this global crisis. These include Indigenous children, homeless children, children in care and children who may be living alone without parents or caregivers. Disabled children may be further isolated or neglected if they can’t go to school while refugee and displaced children in temporary camps are even more vulnerable than they were before this crisis.
“As pressures mount on low income families, in some contexts children may need to work to bolster family incomes, and girls especially may also face a disproportionate burden of caring for family members who contract the virus or taking care of younger children. If plans are not put in place urgently, some children run the risk of never returning to school at all.”
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Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In Canada and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.