Page 49 - EW July 2021 final

Post-pandemic recovery roadmap

n a policy brief document titled Education During Covid-19 & Beyond (August
I2020), Unesco has provided a roadmap for its 193 member countries to mend
their education systems devastated by the Covid-19 global pandemic. Excerpts
from the 26-page document.
‘ The Covid-19 pandemic has created the largest disruption of education systems
in history, affecting nearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 190 countries and all
continents. Closure of schools and other learning spaces have impacted 94 percent
of the world’s student population, up to 99 percent in low and lower-middle income
countries. Preventing a learning crisis from becoming a generational catastrophe
requires urgent action from all.
In order to mitigate the potentially devastating consequences of the Covid-19
pandemic, governments and education stakeholders are encouraged to pursue
the following policy responses.
• Suppress transmission of the virus and plan thoroughly for reopening schools. The single
most significant step that countries can take to hasten the reopening of schools and
Reddy: unprecedented opportunity education institutions is to suppress transmission of the virus to control national
and local outbreaks.
ing jobs is likely to be a stiff challenge. • Protect education financing and coordinate for impact. Preserve the share of expendi-
That’s why early reopening of educa- ture for education as a top priority and address inefficiencies in education spending.
tion institutions and intensive bridge • Build resilient education systems for equitable and sustainable development. Strength-
and remedial study programmes to ening the resilience of education systems enables countries to respond to the
make up for lost learning of the past immediate challenges of safely reopening schools and positions them to better
15 months is crucial,” says Hema cope with future crises.
Ravichander, an IIM-Ahmedabad • Reimagine education and accelerate change in teaching and learning. Expand the defini-
alumna and former global head of tion of the right to education to include digital connectivity. ’
human resources at Infosys Ltd, and Source: Unesco
currently a Bengaluru-based business
consultant. there is a great deal of uncertainty also hugely improve students learning
T leaders are wary about about impact of the virus on vulner- outcomes in the future,” says Reddy.
INDUSTRY
YPICALLY,
Some reflection makes it clear that
able children, particularly since highly
finding fault with gov-
gently is within the establishment and
says Reddy.
ernment management of infectious new variants are emerging,” resistance to reopening schools ur-
the Covid-19 pandemic despite de- Although he admits that damage middle class, which has the where-
layed acknowledgment, insufficient caused to the economy because of the withal to continue children’s learning
notice of a comprehensive lockdown prolonged closure of education insti- from home. Yet the wide digital divide
which inflicted heavy suffering on mi- tutions will be “considerable”, Reddy between urban middle class India and
grant workers fleeing urban habitats, believes that the pandemic has provid- rural households in the hinterland
fudged pandemic relief package, de- ed an unprecedented opportunity to and base of the country’s iniquitous
layed orders for vaccines, and neglect improve learning outcomes in Indian socio-economic pyramid is a strong
of education. education. “With even poorest rural argument in favour of immediate re-
B.V.R Mohan Reddy, chairman households receptive to digital con- opening of all education institutions,
of education council of the Delhi- nectivity and new technology devices, starting with universities and colleges
based Confederation of Indian Indus- all resistance to digitally-enabled edu- where students can be presumed to
try (CII), the largest representative cation has melted away. Government understand the rationale for safety
organisation of India Inc, believes that and industry working together need precautions.
the BJP/NDA government’s national to ensure provision of low-cost digital Moreover, thus far there is no
15-month lockdown of all education devices to every classroom and child. evidence that children are any more
institutions is justified because safety A massive switch to hybrid pedagogies vulnerable to the dread virus than the
and well-being of the country’s chil- and teacher training to assist children adult population. According to the
dren should be a “top national prior- to access high quality content from London-based weekly The Economist
ity”. “Extreme caution on the issue of across the country and the world, will (June 26), arguably the world’s most
reopening schools is justified because not only make up for lost learning, but widely read and authoritative news

JULY 2021 EDUCATIONWORLD 49