"The COVID-19 disaster creates an educational emergency that could have a detrimental effect on children in developing countries," said Julia Gillard, Chairman of the GPE Board. "Unless we take action now to support education systems, millions of vulnerable children, especially the poorest girls, will not be able to resume schooling once the crisis is over."
At least 630 million children have dropped out of school in developing countries in Africa, Asia and South America and the Caribbean. Of the 67 countries eligible for GPE funding, 63 have already closed schools across the country to address the epidemic. This has already cut more than 350 million children from illiteracy, but also from other vital services provided through schools, as well as health and nutritional care.
Long-term school closures threaten unsuccessful developmental benefits and may put the world's poorest children at increased risk. Evidence shows that girls who are excluded from school are more at risk of sexual abuse, early marriage and other forms of sexual assault and abuse. During the Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone, school closures were associated with 11,000 school children getting pregnant and not being able to go back to school. Boys are at higher risk of being recruited into armed groups. Teachers may be forced to look for other sources of income and may not return as soon as the disease is over.
"The GPE has acted swiftly in the face of an unprecedented challenge," said Serigne Mbaye Thiam, Vice Chairman of the GPE Board. "These funds will ensure that developing countries, such as Senegal, can act quickly to reduce the adverse effects COVID-19 will have on the most vulnerable children and maintain the stability of education systems."
GPE funding will be available immediately to support coordinated and driven responses to up to 67 countries and to meet emergency and long-term needs. Ministers of Education and local education partners can use the money to ensure that learning can continue, especially for the most vulnerable and most vulnerable, for example by providing radio and television programs and distributing material such as radios and textbooks to poor households. . The money can also be used to help teachers, make sure children with special needs and disabilities are included; collecting data to know that learning takes place; reducing poverty and gender barriers to education, which will be exacerbated by economic shocks; and make sure that teachers and schools are equipped to reopen when it is safe to do so.
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