Photo : webshot.

August 24, 2021

Anna Murray 

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) issued a press release titled "First day of school 'indefinitely postponed' for 140 million first-time students worldwide" on August 23. The COVID-19 pandemic will cause 140 million young minds to miss their first day of school, according to UNICEF.

For decades, UNICEF has worked in some of the most difficult places on the planet to reach the world's most vulnerable children in order to make the world a better place for all. Henrietta H. Holsman Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF, urges governments to reopen schools as soon as possible for in-person learning and to provide students with a comprehensive recovery response.

In collaboration with the World Bank and UNESCO, UNICEF is urging governments to prioritize three key issues for school recovery:

1. Targeted programs to re-enroll all children and youth in school, where they will be able to access tailored services to meet their learning,
health, and psychosocial well-being needs, among other things.

2. Effective remedial learning to assist students in regaining lost knowledge.

3. Support for teachers in addressing learning losses and incorporating digital technology into their classroom instruction.

Children can benefit from in-person learning by gaining independence, adjusting to new routines, and developing meaningful relationships with teachers and peers. The first grade lays the groundwork for all future learning by introducing students to reading, writing, and math. Teachers can also use in-person learning to identify and address learning delays, mental health issues, and abuse, all of which can have a negative impact on children's well-being.

To sum up, UNICEF is promoting online and offline campaigns to bring world leaders, teachers, and parents together to work toward a common goal: reopening schools for in-person learning as soon as possible.