Closure of schools during pandemic impacted 247 million children in India: UNICEF

The analysis on school closures report notes that 14 countries worldwide have remained largely closed from March 2020 to February 2021. Two-thirds of those countries are in Latin America and the Caribbean, affecting nearly 98 million schoolchildren.

With as many as 1.5 million schools kept closed during 2020 due to coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown imposed to contain it, about 247 million children enrolled in elementary and secondary schools in India have been impacted, as per the data released by UNICEF. 

“Online education is not an option for all as only one in four children has access to digital devices and Internet connectivity. Pre-Covid, only a quarter of households (24 per cent) in India had access to the Internet and there is a large rural-urban and gender divide,” says the UNICEF statement, raising concerns on a higher dropout rate in schools once classes recommence.

The analysis on school closures report notes that 14 countries worldwide have remained largely closed from March 2020 to February 2021. Two-thirds of those countries are in Latin America and the Caribbean, affecting nearly 98 million schoolchildren. Of the 14 countries, Panama has kept schools closed for the most days, followed by El Salvador, Bangladesh, and Bolivia.

“As we approach the one-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are again reminded of the catastrophic education emergency worldwide lockdowns have created. With every day that goes by, children unable to access in-person schooling fall further and further behind, with the most marginalized paying the heaviest price,” said Henrietta Fore UNICEF Executive Director. “We cannot afford to move into year two of limited or even no in-school learning for these children. No effort should be spared to keep schools open, or prioritise them in reopening plans.”

The data released by UNICEF notes that more than 888 million children worldwide continue to face disruptions to their education due to full and partial school closures. 

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