A UNICEF partnership is giving hope to children from 87 developing countries. The governments in these countries will receive funds that they can use to implement distance learning for students who will be affected by school lockdowns due to coronavirus.
A partnership between UNICEF and Global Partnership for Education (GPE) will release $8.8 million to be used by schools affected by the coronavirus globally. This comes amidst a coronavirus pandemic that has resulted in the closure of schools in 156 countries according to data by UNICEF.
UNICEF partnership terms
The money released through the partnership will be available for 87 developing countries that have been severely affected by the pandemic. These countries are now struggling in helping students who have been forced out of schools due to a government-sponsored lockdown of the entire education system. To ensure these students continue with their education, GPE and UNICEF will make the funds available for any country struggling.
Alice Albright, GPE’s Chief Executive Officer said there was a need for children in the developing countries to continue learning. She said the funds would help these governments to kickstart projects to help schools connect with their students and continue teaching. The funds will also support teachers and maintain the safety of both students and teaching staff.
Beneficiaries of the fund
The funds will also support children and parents in continuing with their education. It provides an opportunity for the less privileged to continue with their studies during this crisis.
UNICEF executive director, Henrietta Fore, said in a statement that the pandemic was more likely to keep hundreds of millions of children out of school for months. For vulnerable students, the more they stay out of school, the less incentive they will have of returning back when the situation normalizes. Therefore, a good approach would be to keep these students learning from home. The partnership ensures these vulnerable children are catered for during this period.
Globally, more than 533,000 cases of the virus have been reported. The virus has also led to deaths of more than 24,000 people and according to WHO, the figures will continue rising unless governments and citizens take social distancing seriously to flatten the curve. This means that the uncertainty about when the schools will reopen will continue for millions of these students.
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