Events

The coronavirus (COVID-19) has disrupted education systems across the world, forcing school closures that have affected 90 per cent of the world’s schoolchildren. The Save Our Future campaign has brought together a diverse coalition of partners and experts to author a white paper, proposing action areas to protect and reimagine education during the recovery from COVID-19. This webinar seeks to disseminate the findings and action areas of the white paper and understand from policymakers and leaders how they are prioritizing and mobilizing on certain actions.

The negative impacts on children’s future and long-term opportunities cannot be overstated. This crisis threatens their lifetime opportunities. School closures, as a result of the pandemic alone, may lead to children losing between 6 months and 1 year of learning, possibly more for the most marginalized children. Conservative, lifetime earnings losses as a result of these learning losses are estimated at USD $10 trillion. That is 10% of global GDP.

The vital news is: there is a solution and a way forward that turns this crisis into an opportunity. If we act together with urgency now.

While education is clearly a victim of the pandemic, it is also the solution to the longer-term recovery from COVID-19. The time is NOW to advocate for education – but it is vital that we focus not just on funding for education but also on how that funding is used.