Pascal Arogorn Ibe
The United Nations Children ’ s Fund says closure of schools due to the COVID – 19 pandemic will impact negatively on the development, safety and wellbeing of children globally , noting that schools are not drivers of the viral disease .
UNICEF also warned that the effects of closing school for another year will be felt for generations to come .
The agency in a statement on Tuesday maintained that despite overwhelming evidence that schools were not drivers of the pandemic , steps have been taken to ensure that they remained shut.
“ In the case of lockdowns , schools must be among the first to reopen once authorities start lifting restrictions.
“ Catch- up classes should be prioritised to ensure that children who have been unable to learn remotely are not left behind.
“ If children are faced with another year of school closures , the effects will be felt for generations to come , ” UNICEF warned .
The UN agency noted that the number of out -of -school children is set to rise by 24 million to a level not yet seen in years and to a level it has fought so hard to overcome.
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