The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education has been huge. Unesco estimates that the pandemic has affected nearly 90% of the world's students. That's 1.54 billion learners out of school in 185 countries. But despite the challenges governments face in managing this crisis, human rights law is clear that these learners retain their right to education, and governments are still obliged to ensure the right to education, as well as respect for all other human rights.
Below we have collected important resources on ensuring the right to education during the COVID-19 crisis.
Policy & planning
Save the Children (13 July): Save our education
Human Rights Watch (27 March): As Schools Close Over Coronavirus, Protect Kids’ Privacy in Online Learning
GEM Report (25 March): Three ways to plan for equity during the coronavirus school closures
GEM Report (24 March): How are countries addressing the Covid-19 challenges in education? A snapshot of policy measures
OECD (23 March): How can teachers and school systems respond to the COVID-19 pandemic? Some lessons from TALIS
UNESCO: (23 March) UNESCO’s response to the coronavirus crisis offers multilateral solutions
Human Rights Watch (19 March): Human Rights Dimensions of COVID-19 Response
UNICEF (March 2020): Key Messages and Actions for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Schools
Statements
ESCR-Net (June): Global call to action in response to covid-19
Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) Save the Children United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) (9 April): Learning Must Go On: COVID-19 Advocacy Brief
International Commission on the Futures of Education: Protecting and Transforming Education for Shared Futures and Common Humanity (4 April): A Joint Statement on the COVID-19 Crisis
Education International (27 March): Guiding principles on the COVID-19 pandemic
OHCHR (24 March): UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies call for human rights approach in fighting COVID-19
ESCR-Net (20 March): Human Rights must be prioritized in responding to COVID-19
OHCHR (16 March): States should not abuse emergency measures to suppress human rights – UN experts
Resource hubs
INEE: COVID-19
Planipolis: Portal of education plans and policies related to COVID-19
NORRAG: COVID-19 Education Disruption and the Response by the Global Education Community
Data and trackers
Unesco: COVID-19 Educational Disruption and Response
OHCHR (9 April): “Leave no one behind” – Don’t forget your commitments in your response to the COVID-19 crises, UN expert urges States
Center for Global Development: COVID-19 education policy tracking
International Accountability Project: Early warning system: Project level COVID-19 responses by development banks
Webinars
INEE (30 April): Advocating for EiE during COVID-19
INEE (7 April): Webinar on distance learning during covid-19: continuing education in low resource and low tech environments
Blogs
Plan and Unesco (31 March): COVID-19 forces school closures in 185 countries
Human Rights Watch (March 27): As Schools Close Over Coronavirus, Protect Kids’ Privacy in Online Learning
Elin Martinez (19 March): Pandemic shakes up world education
Countries
Aoife Nolan (May): Should Schools Reopen? The Human Rights Risk: An Advisory Note for the Independent SAGE (UK)
UNESCO-IIEP: 2020 Planning and managing education in the context of Covid-19 - Country profiles
OECD: How have countries dealt with coronavirus school closures and what’s next for education? (Podcast)
Adalah (6 April): Adalah and partners petition Israeli Supreme Court: Connect Bedouin students in Naqab to distance-learning system
UNESCO GEMR (2 April): Covid-19: How is Italy coping with school closure?
Human Rights Watch (19 March): UK School Closures Could Leave Children Hungry
EdTech
Naomi Klein (13 May): How big tech plans to profit from the pandemic
Ben Williamson (1 April): New edtech power networks
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Last updated 14 July 2020