Education in emergencies

2020 was a truly unprecedented year for children around the world. From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF used its on-the-ground capacity to support governments in mobilizing a response across education systems to urgently implement alternative learning measures and innovative approaches. UNICEF leveraged the diversity, resources and…, In 2020, UNICEF’s education programmes reached far more children than at any other time in its history. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF provided educational materials to more than 43 million children, compared with 12 million in 2019. UNICEF was an early advocate for continuity of learning during school closures, and the reopening of…, Equitable access to education, Icon representing education access - open book 43% of UNICEF-supported countries have equitable education systems Icon representing children with disabilities - child in a wheelchair 54% of UNICEF-supported countries have an inclusive system for children with disabilities Icon representing gender balance - man and woman 42% of countries have…, Reaching the most disadvantaged, For children with disabilities, children from ethnolinguistic minorities, migrant and displaced children, school closures meant additional challenges in accessing remote learning. UNICEF focused on ensuring that these learners, and those who were out of school prior to the pandemic, had equitable opportunities to continue learning. Two boys…, Gender-responsive access to education, The COVID-19 crisis threatens to undo two decades of progress in girls’ education worldwide. The number of girls out of school had decreased from 203.5 million in 2000 to 129.2 million in 2018. While more girls are in school today than ever before, many are still left behind. In 2020, UNICEF had to shift its focus from accelerating gains in girls…, Education in emergencies, 2020 was an unprecedented year, with the largest humanitarian crisis for education spanning every country across the globe.  At the peak of the pandemic in 2020, some 1.6 billion learners were affected, almost half of them girls. Continuity of learning was at the top of UNICEF’s education agenda, along with equity and psychosocial support,…, Improving learning outcomes, Icon representing learning outcomes - academic mortarboard Over 43 million children were provided with individual education/early learning materials, including over 22 million children in emergencies Icon representing school management - building with a flag flying 59,223 school management committees were trained Icon representing children - boy…, Learning in the early years, Early childhood provides a critical development window to support the formation of skills that enable children to acquire more complex skills later in life. UNICEF calls for all children to have access to at least one year of quality preschool, giving priority to marginalized children. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, preschools were among the…, Quality teaching and learning, The pandemic highlighted the important role of teachers in children’s education and well-being. While teachers themselves were affected by the impact of the pandemic, their creativity, innovation and resilience helped them adjust to the new realities of remote teaching. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF rapidly supported professional…, Learning assessment systems, In the face of the COVID-19 crisis, some countries revamped their assessment systems to give new priority to assessment for learning rather than assessment of learning through classroom-based continuous assessments; new modalities for delivering assessment tools to students and collecting responses and using formative assessment to help teachers…, Community participation, Community engagement is one of the most effective tools for improving education delivery at the school level. Members of the community participate through parent teacher associations or other local mechanisms to hold school leaders, teachers and themselves accountable. UNICEF’s work on community participation aims to support provision of community…, Skills development, Icon representing skills development - pencil and wrench More than 7.7 million children participated in skills development programmes Icon representing gender quality - male and femal symbols with equals symbol 27% of countries have systems that institutionalize gender-equitable skills Icon representing learning outcomes - academic mortarboard 40…, Skills development from early years to upper secondary, Adolescent girls and boys, from the early years through secondary education, need support to achieve meaningful learning outcomes, including through accredited flexible learning opportunities for those who cannot participate in formal education. More than 61.5 million adolescents (10-19 years old) of lower secondary school age are out of school.…, Gender equality in skills development, Investing in girls’ and young women’s economic skills development is one of the most urgent and effective means to drive progress on gender equality, poverty reduction and inclusive economic growth. In many countries, however, this does not translate into employability because of restrictive gender norms that limit what girls can do. UNICEF…, Non-formal education and community-based skills development, UNICEF uses cross-sectoral approaches to contribute to equity and inclusiveness in skills development. Interventions are delivered through non-formal education and skills training, as well as in community settings, to respond to the educational needs of marginalized adolescents. UNICEF supports ‘second-chance’ education for adolescents who did not…, Looking forward, A young woman standing in a classroom in front of a blackboard A boy standing in front of solar panels and waving A girl standing in front of a white wall with colourful butterflies and flowers painted on it More than half of the world’s children and young people are on the ‘wrong’ side of the digital divide. Now is a once in a generation…, Further reading, A schoolboy and schoolgirl in a classroom Putting Gender at the Forefront of the COVID-19 Education Response: Common Messaging Framework, The Common Messaging Framework, developed with partner and ally organisations, leverages the power of collective action and joint, shared advocacy for uninterrupted girls’ education. Published in English, French and Spanish. View publication, A group of young girls in winter jackets walking together in a rural setting with forests and mountains in the background Building Back Equal: Girls Back to School Guide (with UNESCO, UNICEF, Malala Fund and Plan International), This guide provides targeted inputs to ensure continuity of learning during school closures, and comprehensive, timely and evidence-based plans for reopening schools in a way that is safe, gender-responsive and child-friendly, and meets the needs of the most marginalized girls. View publication, In Herat, Afghanistan, Somaya Faruqi (centre), 17, leader of the ‘Afghan Dreamers’ girls robotics team, shows how to assemble a bag ventilator device. Towards an equal future: Reimagining girls’ education through STEM, This report seeks to call attention to the potential of STEM education to transform gender norms in the education system, to improve quality learning opportunities for girls and to highlight key actions that can accelerate girls’ transition between education and technical expert jobs in STEM industries. View report, Ujas 11 shows how to correctly wear masks. Averting a lost COVID generation: A six-point plan to respond, recover and reimagine a post-pandemic world for every child, In this policy brief, UNICEF takes stock of the global impact of COVID-19 on children and young people, laying out what we know from available data and research, highlighting what is still unclear as well as the options for action, and urging the world to take bold and unprecedented steps to reimagine a better future for children. View report, Djibouti-UN0198980-hero Build to Last: A framework in support of universal quality pre-primary education, This framework outlines the key building blocks of an effective pre-primary subsector that can deliver quality early childhood education at scale. View report, 2 years old Manyata plays with pebbles as part of Early Childhood Development programme at an Anganwadi centre in Karmad, Aurangabad, India. Global Guidance on Reopening of Early Childhood Education Settings, Co-developed with the World Bank and UNESCO, this guidance note outlines key principles and practical measures for decision-makers to consider before, during and after the transition from closure to reopening. It focuses on safe operations in early childhood education settings, staff training and support, child well-being and development and…, Justice symbol on the arch of a building COVID-19: Trends, Promising Practices and Gaps in Remote Learning for Pre-Primary Education, This paper examines the remote learning options (online, television, radio, paper- or mobile-based) that countries around the world have made available for pre-primary students and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights trends, gaps and emerging good practices that are supported by existing evidence. A brief summarizes the key…, A boy sitting on a bench adjusting the aerial of a radio COVID-19: Are children able to continue learning during school closures?, This global analysis estimates the potential reach of digital and broadcast remote learning policy responses, finding that at least 463 million students around the globe remain cut off from education, mainly due to a lack of remote learning policies or lack of equipment needed for learning at home. View factsheet A schoolboy standing beside a…, With thanks, This report highlights the achievements made possible by the generous contributions of softly earmarked thematic funding received from various partners. UNICEF would like to express it's sincere appreciation for these contributions. June 2021, Global Annual Results Report 2020 GOAL AREA 2 Every child learns Cover image: UNICEF/UNI366076/Bos Children learn on tablets in a new classroom in Tamantay, a village in Kassala State, Sudan, on their first day of e-learning through the Cant Wait to Learn programme. Expression of thanks: UNICEF/UN073783/Al-Issa Somar, 8 years old from Syria,…

The Convention on the Rights of the Child states that the key goal of education is the development of the child’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential. The Annual Results Report for Education is an opportunity to reflect on the lessons of the past year as UNICEF worked towards that goal – to build on…, No challenge is greater than that of the learning crisis. According to the World Bank, 53 per cent of children in low- and middle-income countries are “learning poor” – they cannot read and understand a simple story by the end of primary school. The UNICEF Education Strategy acknowledges that at current trends, by 2030, 420 million children will…, Results highlights, A UNICEF staff member gives a high five to a young girl UNICEF/UNI205415/Noorani In 2019, over 800 education staff worked to implement education programmes across the globe. The majority were deployed at the country level, including in fragile and conflict-affected countries or in remote locations where the needs were greatest. Staff provided…, Equitable access to education, 258 million children, adolescents and youth are out of school, representing one sixth of the global population of this age group. UNICEF reaches the most disadvantaged children through initiatives at all levels of education systems. Countries have been supported to make inclusive and preschool education an integral part of their sector plans and…, Inclusive Education, Inclusive education helps children with disabilities to learn in a mainstream classroom context, while providing the additional support they need. It also helps all children work towards achieving their potential by helping teachers tailor instruction to learners’ individual needs. UNICEF Accessible Digital Textbooks for All UNICEF provided…, Reaching the most disadvantaged, UNICEF Côte d’Ivoire piloted an innovative construction method using bricks made from recycled plastic waste in partnership with the Colombian social enterprise Conceptos Plásticos. There are now 26 functional classrooms which are operational throughout the country. This alternative method is faster than traditional methods, reducing classroom…, Education in emergencies, Countries around the world are facing a learning crisis which is most severe in countries affected by conflicts and disasters: more than half of the 20 countries with the lowest levels of learning experienced humanitarian crisis situations in 2018. In crisis-affected countries, 128 million children of primary and secondary age are out of school. A…, Improving learning outcomes, There are many encouraging programmes that have shown dramatic improvements for children when learning outcomes are highlighted and measured. These include programmes to improve learning in the early years, which are crucial to success later. Learning assessments must provide information to parents, teachers and policymakers about how to improve…, Learning in the early years, The global learning crisis is largely caused by a failure to invest in quality Early Childhood Education (ECE), meaning many children start school already behind in a range of vital skills. In low-income countries, 8 out of 10 children are not enrolled in ECE, and less than 2 per cent of the overall education budget is allocated to the pre-primary…, Learning assessment systems, Helping countries build effective learning assessment systems is a priority of the new UNICEF Education Strategy. The goal is to ensure that assessments provide disaggregated data to inform the design of measures to improve learning outcomes for all children. UNICEF works with ministries of education around the world to tailor the approach, based…, Community participation, A high level of community engagement is an important lever to improve education delivery at the school level. UNICEF provides support such as development of policies, guidelines, regulatory frameworks, training materials and feedback to communities and schools. Overall, the aim is to support provision of community-based education where relevant,…, Skills development, There is an urgent need to expand, rethink and transform education and learning systems to provide all children and adolescents, especially those who are marginalized and in conflict and emergency settings, with quality learning opportunities that include the skills they need to succeed in school, work and life. Graphic representing children 4.1…, Gender equality in skills development, In many countries, progress in educational achievement among girls and young women is not translating into employability, because of barriers to skills development opportunities, such as restrictive gender norms that prescribe what girls should and should not do.   While 14 per cent of adolescent boys and young men between 14 and 24 years old were…, Non-formal education and community-based skills development, UNICEF uses a variety of approaches to contribute to gender equality and overall inclusiveness in skills development through non-formal education and skills training as well as in community settings. Schoolgirls sitting on the ground with educational toys, Tanzania, UNICEF Tanzania has supported in the development of the Integrated Programme for Out of School Adolescents (IPOSA). The programme includes vocational training, entrepreneurship skills, life skills and literacy and numeracy skills. IPOSA has trained over 12,000 adolescents (of whom 53 per cent are girls). IPOSA surpassed its target of enrolling 5,…, State of Palestine, In 2019, a total of 8,386 adolescents aged between 13 and 17 years (including 4,814 adolescent girls, and 223 children living with disabilities) were empowered through entrepreneurial and civic engagement skills-building programmes. After the skills training, 2,648 adolescents organized and conducted 351 initiatives and social enterprises that…, Bangladesh, The UNICEF Adolescent Strategy for Rohingya and Host Community Response, launched in April 2019, aims to provide 18,000 Rohingya and 7,600 host community adolescents with integrated vocational, literacy/numeracy, life skills and psychosocial support through 109 multipurpose centres., Looking forward, As this report was being prepared, the world was in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic. The full impact of the crisis will be extraordinary and will last for many years in ways that are still unclear. The COVID-19 crisis comes at a particularly challenging moment for the education sector. Even prior to the pandemic, the world was off track to…, Global Annual Results Report 2019 GOAL AREA 2 Every child learns Cover image: UNICEF/UN0339383/Frank Dejongh Students at the playground of Turgani High School in Faizabad, the largest city of Badakhshan province, northern Afghanistan. Working at the national, provincial and community levels with the Ministry of Education and other partners, UNICEF…