UNICEF calls for schools to reopen in pandemic-hit nations

United Nations, Sep 17 (Prensa Latina) Schools in nearly 77 million students in six countries from different regions of the world remain partially closed following a year and a half since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, UNICEF reported on Thursday.

September 17, 2021
07:10

Likewise, UNICEF´s report said that as many as 131 million students in 11 nations have already missed more than three-quarters of their in-person learning.

About 27% of nations continue to have schools fully or partially closed, according to the most recent statistics from UNICEF.

Among those almost completely closed are schools in Bangladesh, the Philippines and Panama, according to UNICEF.

UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore warned that millions of students are unable to start classes for the third academic year in a row and those knowledge losses caused by school closings can be irreparable. UNICEF and its partners will shut down their digital channels for 18 hours on Thursday to draw attention to the crisis and the ’18 months of lost learning’. ‘Our channels are silent, but our message is loud: Every community, everywhere must reopen schools as soon as possible.’ pgh/ Pll/msm / ifb