Education is in a state of crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic and by the time it is over nearly 10 million children may never return to school. Fund cuts to cope with the economic crisis triggered by the world health crisis and rising poverty will jeopardise education of millions of children, Save the Children has warned.
According to British charity Save the Children, the world’s poorest children are faced with a 'hidden education emergency' due to the COVID-19 crisis. Citing UNESCO data, it stated that almost 1.6 billion children were out of school by early April to prevent contracting or spreading the deadly viral infection.
The charity identified countries that are at maximum risk of stalling the progress towards attaining Sustainable Development Goal 4 in 2030, which is quality education for all children. So far, 12 countries have been identified that have the highest chances of falling the target. They are Afghanistan, Niger, Yemen, Pakistan, Mali, Chad, Liberia, Guinea, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire.
The primary reason behind this unfortunate turn out would be poverty, which would require children to take up 'jobs' to aid the family financially. That aside, budget cuts may also push the world’s poorest countries to reduce access to education.
Commenting on the situation, Inger Ashing, Chief Executive, Save the Children, said: “Instead we are at risk of unparalleled budget cuts which will see existing inequality explode between the rich and the poor, and between boys and girls.”
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(With inputs from AFP)
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