The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the world in unthinkable ways, from the economy to health, and many more aspects of life. One of the steps taken to contain the pandemic was the closing of schools all across the world, but almost over a year into the global pandemic, according to UNSECO, 117 million students around the world are still out of school.
UNESCO and its Global Education Coalition partners have been urging for the safe reopening of schools, arguing that full closures are only to be used as a measure of last resort. School closures as a result of the pandemic “have resulted in learning losses and increased drop-out rates, impacting the most vulnerable students disproportionately.”
UNESCO is also urging that teachers must get adequate support and preparation in returning to the in-person learning experience. A big part of the return to the classroom has also been safety precautions and vaccinations. The vaccination of teachers has been given some priority in 80 countries, allowing for the inoculation of some 42 million teachers.