COVID-19: Kids in world’s poorest countries lost 66% more of lifetime at school than richer peers – Save the Children

• Girls in poorer countries missed 22 % more days in school than boys, new analysis by Save the Children found
• Save the Children is calling on global leaders to prioritise education spending to send children back to school safely
• News comes as pressure mounts on G7 leaders to back global vaccination plan

Toronto, 9 June – Children in poorer countries have lost 66% more of their lifetime number of schooldays during the COVID-19 outbreak compared to their peers in richer countries.

Despite a year of school closures worldwide, the impact has been far greater for children in poorer countries, who would have spent fewer years in school even before the pandemic.

Civil society in Canada is calling on the government to commit new and additional resources to education at the upcoming Leaders’ Summit and to encourage its G7 counterparts to do the same. More specifically, that Canada should follow through on its commitment to provide CAD$150 million per year over three years to support education for refugees and internally displaced children, as articulated in the 2019 Liberal Party platform, as well as to invest at least CAD$500 million over the next five years to the Global Partnership for Education.

This data comes on the heels of the G7 leaders gathering in the United Kingdom to discuss recovery from the pandemic, including plans for getting children back into school. Pressure is mounting on G7 leaders to back a global vaccination plan so that people across the globe are better protected from COVID-19, which will help get children’s education back on track.

Danny Glenwright, president and CEO of Save the Children, said:
“As with every crisis, the biggest victims of the COVID-19 pandemic are children, and our analysis shows that when it comes to school closures, the poorer the country, the bigger the impact. Sadly, girls are more likely than boys to have disproportionately missed out on their schooling, as all too often girls leave school early due to child marriage, pregnancy, or having to work.

 “The countries where children have proportionally lost more schooldays are also countries where COVID-19 vaccination rates are generally low. It is up to G7 leaders – the world’s biggest aid donors – to make tangible commitments to achieve the targets they signed up to in the G7 Girls’ Education Declaration and make ambitious pledges to the Global Partnership for Education. Also, richer countries must urgently fund and share vaccines, and do all they can to ensure equitable access to vaccines for poorer countries. The next generation have to be front and centre.”

On average, girls in poorer countries missed 22% more days in school than boys, the new analysis also found. For example:

• In Guinea, boys lost an average of around 15% of their lifetime schooldays, girls lost an astonishing 39%;
• In Burkina Faso, boys missing out of 14% of their school days, and girls missing 29%;
• In Afghanistan around 9% for boys and 21% for girls.

The analysis does not include access to remote learning, which likely would have made the gap between wealthy and lower income countries even greater, Save the Children said. The organization emphasized that remote learning cannot make up for the loss of schooldays, as going to school helps children laugh, learn, eat, play and grow. Being in school can also protect children from various forms of abuse and exploitation.

Last year, the organization warned of a dramatic surge in child marriage and adolescent pregnancy, estimating an additional 2.5 million girls at risk of child marriage over five years and adolescent pregnancies expected to rise by up to one million in 2020.

Karina is 17 and in the eighth grade in South Sudan – but she has been out of school because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She said, “The biggest concern is that girls who have not been attending school… their parents force the girls to get married. If they force you to marry, you will not get a better education. Your education will stop there.”

On June 1^st Save the Children launched 100 Days of Action. This campaign will see thousands of children in over 50 countries worldwide, supported by Save the Children, partners and supporters, engage in activities and action to speak out and raise awareness to inform leaders that their education needs to be funded, leaving no-one behind.

*Name changed for privacy reasons

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• Based on data from UNESCO and the World Bank, Save the Children estimated the total lost number of days in school in countries across the world as a percentage of lifetime schooling since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. To do this, it used existing country data on school closures, number of school days in an academic year, the average years of schooling, and school-aged population. Data on mean years of schooling and school-aged population is disaggregated by gender, as are the overall estimates. For the full methodology, see this link.
• In response to the COVID-19 outbreak and the impact on education, Save the Children has been providing distance learning materials, such as books and home learning kits, working closely with governments and teachers to provide lessons and support via radio, television, phone, social media and messaging apps, and providing safe spaces for children in conflict areas (for example in the Sahel) to learn together in a safe and inclusive way.
• Save the Children is making sure children are safe at home and not missing out on the meals or menstrual hygiene kits they would usually receive at school. And it is providing guidance for parents and other caregivers to ensure they have the right information about how to support their children’s learning and wellbeing at home.
• Save the Children is also working with education authorities to help plan for the safe return to school, advocating with and on behalf of children to ensure decision-makers are aware of their concerns.