Averting an Education Catastrophe for the World's Children

The coronavirus (COVID-19) has disrupted education systems across the world, forcing school closures that have affected 90 percent of the world’s students. These closures have had devastating impacts on children and their ability to exercise their human right to education. Education systems were already in crisis even before the pandemic and are now facing the likelihood of drastic budget cuts. If governments and development partners do not act immediately, this crisis could turn into a catastrophe from which millions of children may never recover. The vital news is—there are solutions and a way forward that turns this crisis into an opportunity, but only if we act together with urgency now.

The challenge for the education system globally is daunting. But while it may seem like an impossible task to respond to the magnitude of the challenge, we owe it to the next generation not to give up. We need to support effective and inclusive education systems so we can recover from the devastation of this crisis and make real progress towards a sustainable and equitable future. We need to unite within the education sector and across sectors to fill the financing gap and to ensure that every dollar invested in education leads to maximum benefits for children. Only by doing this can we ensure that all children can fulfill their potential to build a better and more resilient world.