The recent UN Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Children has raised significant concerns, indicating that almost 24 million children may fall out of the education loop next year due to the pandemic’s economic impact. The ramifications of this crisis are diverse and far-reaching, affecting different aspects of children’s lives.
Economic Impact on Children
The report estimates that between 42-66 million children could descend into extreme poverty due to the pandemic’s repercussions. This financial downturn might lead to a loss of around 16,000 USD in earnings over a student’s lifetime, cumulatively translating into 10 trillion USD of global lost earnings.
Implications for Learning
The pandemic has prompted 188 countries to impose nationwide school closures, impacting over 1.5 billion children and young people. While national distance learning platforms have been launched in over two-thirds of these countries, only 30% of low-income countries share this educational strategy. Online learning, thus, remains inaccessible for underprivileged children, those from remote or conflict-ridden areas, and those with disabilities. This digital divide is expected to lead to significant learning losses, with 72% of students estimated to fall drastically behind by Grade 10.
Impact on Survival and Health
Economic hardship faced by families due to the global recession could result in additional child deaths in 2020, reversing recent progress in reducing infant mortality rates. Concurrently, there’s anticipation of rising malnutrition as 368.5 million children across 143 countries, who depend on school meals for daily nutrition, suffer. A reduction in access to essential health services, such as reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health interventions and suspension of critical immunization campaigns, further jeopardizes children’s health. Physical distancing measures and movement restrictions add to this health crisis by adversely affecting children’s mental health.
Safety Concerns
Lockdowns and shelter-in-place measures have heightened the risk of children witnessing or suffering violence and abuse. A surge in online learning has correspondingly increased their risk of exposure to inappropriate content and online predators. Moreover, susceptibility to child marriage, early pregnancy, and gender-based violence is on the rise.
Uneven Distribution of Impact
The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing socioeconomic disparities. During the second quarter of 2020, 86% of primary-level children in poor countries were effectively out of school, compared to just 20% in developed countries. The crisis will likely widen the financing gap for education systems between existing budgets and funds required to achieve quality education goals. Children from vulnerable groups are expected to face a more severe impact, further broadening gender inequality.
Global Strategy for Mitigation
To counteract these alarming projections, an immediate expansion of social assistance to families, securing food supply chains, and urgent adaptation of physical distancing strategies in low-income and high population density areas are suggested. Continued provision of child-centred services including schooling, nutrition programmes, immunization, maternal and newborn care, and child protection with an emphasis on equitable access is crucial. Providing practical support for parents and caregivers to foster children’s learning and mental health, while ensuring children’s access to Covid-19 testing, treatment, and vaccines, make up the rest of the mitigation strategies suggested.
The Way Forward
Progress on three fronts: Information, Solidarity, and Action, is required to combat the pandemic’s outcome. Education needs to be integral to international solidarity efforts, encompassing debt management, stimulus packages, global humanitarian appeals, and official development assistance. Countries like India, classed as lower-middle-income, need to utilize education as an instrument equalizing widespread socioeconomic inequalities. Increments in the education budget and efforts to decrease the digital divide are recommended as strategic approaches to accomplish this goal.
Last Modified: February 8, 2024