OHE: “Destruction of a generation” the closure of schools due to coronavirus

Warning for closing schools because of its epidemic coronavirus, addressed two UN agencies, stressing that if it continues will cause “the destruction of a generation”.

The closure of more than 156 million students in nineteen countries, can not last, say the services, according to the APE-MPE.

“The Covid-19 epidemic has been going on for eighteen months and the education of millions of children is still disrupted.” This situation can not continue. “Schools should be the last to close and the first to open,” said in a joint statement the directors-general of Unicef ​​and Unesco, Enrieta For and Ondre Azoule respectively.

For both women, the reopening of schools should not wait for the end of the pandemic nor the vaccination of all students and staff and can be done “with complete safety” since “schools do not belong to the main transmission areas”.

On the contrary, “It will probably be impossible to prevent the inevitable impact on children and young people who have not been able to go to school. Whether it is learning loss, psychological stress, exposure to violence and abuse, loss of school meals and vaccinations or lack of socialization, the consequences for children will be felt everywhere: in their school performance, in their socialization and in their physical and mental health “, they point out in their announcement.

“The most affected are often children from poor environments, who do not have access to distance learning, or young children who are in key developmental stages,” the statement said, referring to “losses that are also serious for parents.”

“In order to avoid the destruction of a generation, we call on decision-making centers and governments to give priority to the reopening of schools in conditions of complete security. The closure of schools puts our future in danger just for the uncertain preservation of our present. “

You may also like