Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, warned that an entire generation of human potential could be wasted because of school closures worldwide.
Guterres said on Tuesday that more than 1 billion students in 160 countries are out of school because of the coronavirus pandemic. He said that students in developing countries were left with no educational instruction, and those fortunate enough to live where online solutions are possible are still left with subpar instruction.
“We face a generational catastrophe that would waste untold human potential, undermine decades of progress, and exacerbate entrenched inequalities,” Guterres said in a virtual address. “The knock-on effects on child nutrition, child marriage, and gender equality, among others, are deeply concerning.”
Guterres announced that the United Nations would be starting a campaign called “Save our Future” aimed at helping children maintain their education. The program calls for students to return to schools “once local transmission of COVID-19 is under control.” It also calls for increased funding for education, outreach to vulnerable populations in developing countries, and further research in education innovation and digital literacy to allow students to have online instruction.
“We are at a defining moment for the world’s children and young people,” Guterres said. “The decisions that governments and partners take now will have lasting impacts on hundreds of millions of young people and on the development prospects of countries for decades to come.”
The Trump administration has been advocating for schools to reopen for in-person instruction. Some districts, including schools in Los Angeles and San Diego, have already opted not to reopen this fall.
