A Big Push for Education

Context: Recent celebration of the International Day of Education (January 24) provides an opportunity to work for quality inclusive education for all towards realising the goal of sustainable development.

Impact of COVID-19 on education:

• Closure of schools:
• In World: Shutdown of the schools affected around 1.6 billion students from some 190 countries.
• In India: More than 1.5 million school closures affected about 286 million schoolchildren in addition to the six million out of school girls and boys.
• Reduction in education spending: due to prioritisation public health and social safety; The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO estimates :
  • Of the $11.8 trillion global COVID-19 fiscal response, a mere 0.78% (or $91 billion) was allocated to education, with $73 billion spent in high-income countries.

Positive efforts to counter COVID impact:

• Use of Information and Communication Technology measures: to support the delivery of education through a mix of radio, television, and mobile technology along with home delivery of printed learning.
  • For e.g. shift towards technological delivery solutions has led to various South Asian nations (0.85%) spending in greater amounts than Europe (0.73%).
  • India’s Education Ministry has made significant efforts to develop courses to reach all learners via the Internet and the airwaves.

Conclusion: The governments, development partners and businesses should increase funding and make education systems more resilient, inclusive, flexible, and sustainable.