With COVID-19 now considered the “largest disruption of education systems” in history affecting nearly 1.6 billion students globally, the United Nations (UN) warned millions more may drop out of school next year. 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, during the launch of the Policy Brief: Education During Covid-19 and Beyond on August 4, explained how the COVID-19 pandemic continues to exacerbate education disparities in many countries. 

"We face a generational catastrophe that could waste untold human potential, undermine decades of progress, and exacerbate entrenched inequalities,” he said. 

As cited in the Policy Brief, new data showed some 23.8 million children - from pre-primary to tertiary - are at risk of not returning to school. It also highlighted the educational financing gap will increase by one third as a result of the pandemic.

During an embargoed press briefing on August 3, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini and UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) Director Suzanne Grant Lewis discussed the Policy Brief as well as other impacts of COVID-19 on education.

Said Giannini, “Students, parents, educators have been universally affected and this crisis has amplified into different kinds of inequalities. We can see opportunities shutting down at all levels.” 

Asked what countries like the Philippines can do for children who are unable to enroll due to the impact of COVID-19, Lewis noted there is "a range of options available to these countries and sub-national governments as well."

With UNESCO as the penholder along with contributions from UNICEF, World Bank, ILO, UNHCR, UNDP, UN Women, UNFPA, OHCHR, ECLAC, Education Cannot Wait, Global Partnership for Education, and the Education Commission, the Policy Brief recommends focusing on protecting education financing; strengthening the resilience of education systems for sustainable and equitable development; and seizing this moment to accelerate positive change in teaching and learning.

Giannini said that the overall call to action is to use this opportunity to reshape the learning agenda, close educational disparities, push for equity and inclusion and prevent further learning losses. The brief, she added, also enjoins member states, Civil society organizations (CSOs) and other partners to “understand education as a driver” for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) a key pillar for global peace and stability. 

The Policy Brief was also launched alongside the “Save Our Future” Campaign which is a multi-partner initiative aimed at re-imagining the learning agenda and ensuring that “education becomes a core part of the COVID recovery around the world.”