Tackling the learning crisis
What needs to happen to avoid failing a generation of children.
Basic reading and maths skills are the foundation for all learning. But even before the pandemic, more than half of all 10-year-olds in middle and low-income countries couldn’t read or understand a simple story.
Education systems are failing our children.
The pandemic has exacerbated this learning crisis and children in almost every country have fallen behind in their learning. Without urgent action, millions of students will have fallen so far behind in their learning that they will be left behind.
It is not enough simply to reopen schools. We need a global effort to tackle the learning crisis head on. Our goal? A world where every child has equal access to quality education.
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Learn what needs to happen
For partners and policymakers
For young people
For parents
For teachers
What needs to happen
UNICEF is calling on governments to:
- Reach and retain every child in school
- Assess learning levels
- Prioritize teaching the fundamentals
- Increase catch-up learning and progress beyond what was lost
- Develop psychosocial health and well-being so every child is ready to learn.
How to end the learning crisis
For partners and policymakers
We need urgent action from governments and other partners to invest in education as a core part of the COVID-19 recovery. Without ambitious action on basic reading and maths, with a focus on the most marginalized children, we will fail to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
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Less than half of countries are implementing recovery strategies at scale to help children catch up > Read more
Are children really learning? Exploring foundational skills in the midst of a learning crisis
> Learn more
The consequences of school closures
For young people
Did you know that education is a human right? But too many children around the world still don’t go to school. And an even larger number of kids who are in schools, aren’t getting the quality education they deserve.
Express your views and support for the issues that matter to you on Voices of Youth – UNICEF's digital community for youth, by youth.
Tips on going back to school during COVID-19
For parents
Is your child anxious about going back to school after COVID-19 closures? Find tips on how to support them during this time, as well as many other parenting resources on UNICEF’s Parenting Hub.
How to talk to your children about school anxiety
For teachers
During the COVID-19 pandemic we saw teachers go above and beyond to make sure learning didn’t completely stop. Children now depend on their teachers to help them catch-up on lost learning in a safe and supportive environment. UNICEF stands with teachers everywhere in calling for more investment, training and support for their work.