The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said that schools must be among the first institutions to reopen once restrictions begin to be lifted.
It noted the negative impact that the closure of schools for such a long time due to the pandemic will have on the learning of students.
UNICEF stated that once schools reopen, the priority should be “catch-up classes”, especially for students that have not been able to learn remotely during the lockdown.
According to the UN agency, if schools are closed for another stretch of the year, the impact will be felt for generations.
It is projected that the number of out-of-school children will swell by an unprecedented 24 million and that reversing the effects will be very hard.
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UNICEF said, “In the case of lockdowns, schools must be among the first to reopen once authorities start lifting restrictions.
“Catch-up classes should be prioritised to ensure that children who have been unable to learn remotely are not left behind.
“If children are faced with another year of school closures, the effects will be felt for generations to come.”
