United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the coronavirus pandemic has led to the largest disruption of education in history, with schools closed in more than 160 countries in mid-July, affecting over 1 billion students.
In addition, the UN chief said at least 40 million children worldwide have missed out on education “in their critical preschool year.”
As a result, Guterres warned that the world faces “a generational catastrophe that could waste untold human potential, undermine decades of progress, and exacerbate entrenched inequalities.”
According to a global projection covering 180 countries by the UN education agency UNESCO and partner organisations, some 23.8 million additional children and youths from pre-primary school to university level are at risk of dropping out or not having access to school next year due to the pandemic’s economic impact.
“We are at a defining moment for the world’s children and young people,” Guterres said.
“The decisions that governments and partners take now will have lasting impact on hundreds of millions of young people, and on the development prospects of countries for decades to come.”
Story by Edith M. Lederer writing for The Financial Review
IN AUSTRALIA…
The Department of Education, Skills and Employment has opened consultations for the 2020 Review of the Disability Standards for Education 2005.
There will be webinars focusing on education.
You can make a submission or complete a short online questionnaire.
Deafness Forum comments:
The last review of the Disability Standards for Education was 15 years ago: this review is an important opportunity to ensure that the Standards are comprehensive and up to date. We encourage you to have your say and help us to spread the word about the consultation process.
Making a submission is not the forbidding task it might seem. A submission can be as little as a one page letter, or as much as time and resources allow. Whether it is from an individual or a corporation, all submissions get the same weighting.
The consultations are open until 11.59pm AEST on Friday, 25 September 2020.
The consultation wants to hear from anyone with an interest in making sure students with disability can access and participate in education on the same basis as students without disability.
The consultation is interested in the experiences and views of current, former and prospective students with disability, their families and carers, advocates and educators.
To assist in the consultations for the 2020 Review of the Standards, the Department of Education, Skills and Employment has engaged The Social Deck. If you have questions or need help to contribute, please email The Social Deck at engage@thesocialdeck.com
All the information you need is at the Consultation Hub website