UNITED NATIONS, Sep 16 (APP): Hours before the start of the crucial ‘Transforming Education Summit’, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, on Friday warned that globally, only a third of 10-year-olds were estimated to be able to read and understand a simple written story, representing a 50 percent decrease from pre-coronavirus pandemic estimates.
“Under resourced schools, underpaid and under-qualified teachers, over-crowded classrooms and archaic curricula are undermining our children’s ability to reach their full potential,” Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director, said in a press statement.
“The trajectory of our education systems is, by definition, the trajectory of our future,” she added. “We need to reverse current trendlines or face the consequences of failing to educate an entire generation. Low levels of learning today mean less opportunity tomorrow.”
The much-anticipated Transforming Education Summit began at the UN Headquarters Friday, with a day of mobilization, led by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his deputy, Amina Mohammed together, with the President of the General Assembly, Csaba Korosi.
Saturday has been billed as “solutions day”, led by UN Deputy-Secretary-General Ms Mohammed, and on Monday, the UN chief will introduce his vision statement, along with world leaders, in the General Assembly Hall, as the summit comes to a close.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to address the Education Summit on Monday via video-link. He is among 90 world leaders listed to speak.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was pointed out, prolonged school closures and a lack of access to quality learning exposed and exacerbated a pre-existing learning crisis, that had left millions of schoolchildren without foundational numeracy and literacy skills.
To draw attention to the education crisis and the need to transform learning worldwide, UNICEF has created the ‘Learning Crisis Classroom’, a model classroom that represents the scale of children failing to learn critical foundational skills.
The installation will be displayed at the visitors’ entrance of UN Headquarters in New York from September 16 – 26. The model will serve as a reminder to government officials, heads of state and everyday visitors of the urgent need for mass global investment in education.
A third of the desks in the model classroom are made of wood and are fully functioning with an iconic UNICEF backpack placed on the school chair behind it.
This group is meant to represent the estimated one-third of 10-year-olds globally who are able to read and understand a simple written story.
The remaining two-thirds of desks are almost invisible and made of clear material to signify the 64 per cent of children estimated to be unable to read and understand a simple written story by age 10.
“The invisible nature of these desks corresponds to the short-term crisis at play”, said UNICEF, “but also signifies the scope of civic contributions that will be lost, if urgent action is not taken to give all students the tools to thrive.”
As leaders meet at the Transforming Education Summit, UNICEF has called on governments to commit to reaching all children with quality education.
The UN agency further urges new effort and investment to re-enroll and retain all children in school, to increase access to remedial and catchup learning, to support teachers – and give them the tools they need – and to make sure that schools provide a safe and supportive environment so all children are ready to learn.
This scheme, promoted by UNICEF under the acronym ‘RAPID,’ represents efforts by the international community to take legitimate steps to promote better education and unlock the potential of millions of children.