COVID-19 Has Devastating Impacts On Education, Health – SCI
.. Calls On Government To Provide Safety Nets, Alternative Learnings
Children from poorest households across the globe have suffered greatest loss of family income, missed out most on education and faced the highest risk of violence at home.
In a release signed by the Country Director, Save the Children International Nigeria, Mercy Gichuhi, it was made known that Save the Children conducted largest global survey of its kind among some 25,000 children and adults on the impact of the pandemic
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the education of children from poorer backgrounds and is widening the gap between rich and poor, and boys and girls, a new global survey by Save the Children revealed today. In the six months since the pandemic was announced, the most vulnerable children have disproportionately missed out on access to education, healthcare, food, and suffered the greatest protection risks”
The global survey revealed the following;
• Two thirds of the children had no contact with teachers at all, during lockdown; eight in ten children believed they had learned little or nothing since schools closed.
• 93% of households that lost over half of their income due to the pandemic reported difficulties in accessing health services.
• Violence at home doubled when schools were closed: when schools were closed, the reported rate was 17% compared to 8% when schools were open and the child was able to attend in person.
• 63% of girls are more often tasked to do more chores around the house, compared to 43% of boys.
• Investment in education, health and nutrition, child protection services, mental health services and safety nets are urgently needed.
The findings were launched today in the report Protect A Generation, based on the largest ever global survey of its kind since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared six months ago. Some 25,000 children and their caregivers shared their experiences, fears and hopes during this unprecedented global crisis.
The COVID-19 pandemic has in fact widened inequalities along wealth and gender lines, the survey found – with poorer households more likely to suffer income losses (82%) than those not classified as poor (70%).
When it comes to health, the survey showed the same concerning divide along wealth lines. Nine in ten households that lost over half of their income due to the pandemic reported difficulties in accessing health services. 45% of respondents from poor households reported having trouble paying for medical supplies during the pandemic.
Less than 1% of the poorer children interviewed had access to internet for distance learning. Among households that classified themselves as non-poor, it was 19%.
“Children who fall behind in their education run a greater risk of dropping out completely and falling victim to child labour, child marriage and other forms of exploitation. Save the Children estimates that this pandemic has caused the largest education emergency in history, with some 9.7 million children not returning to school this year.”
Purity Oriaifo, Save the Children International Nigeria Girl Champion said, “Due to school closures, so many children can no longer retain what they’ve learnt in their previous classes. Even when the schools finally re-open, there will not be sufficient time for revision of what we have learnt and missed in the curriculum. That’s a big challenge for us as children.”
Girls are more heavily impacted than boys, by the COVID-19 pandemic. 63% of the girls said they are doing more chores around the house and more than half (52%) reported they were spending more time caring for siblings. Among boys, that was 43% and 42% respectively. 20% of girls reported that they have too many chores to do to be able to learn, compared to 10% of boys.
• The Save the Children survey also found that: More than 8 in 10 (83%) of children reported an increase in negative feelings;
• Almost two thirds of the households (62%) found it difficult to provide their families with varied, nutritious food during the pandemic;
• 19% of households in which children reported violence had lost any of their income due to COVID-19, compared to 5% when there had been no income loss.
Save the Children therefore urged governments to make sure children out of school have access to quality distance learning materials, that catch up classes are offered to children who have fallen behind, and that all children have equal access to learning after schools reopen.
Aisha Idris Nakano, Nigerian Girl Advocate said, “School closure have direct impact on us, the children. As plans are ongoing to re-open the schools for us to continue learning, I suggest that the Nigerian Government should ensure that preventive measures are put in place for children in schools. Overcrowded classrooms should be avoided; maybe the schools should be split into morning and afternoon classes.”
Mercy Gichuhi said, “As the Nigerian government plans to re-open schools after prolonged closures, it is necessary to think about how to build a resilient education system to withstand future shocks, and also to ensure that an emergency education plan is mainstreamed into the contingency plan of the entire country.”
In con, it was advised that there’s need to prevent shocks from future pandemics, governments need to build social safety nets and strong health and nutrition systems, especially for the most vulnerable and marginalised households. Resources are also urgently needed for positive parenting programmes, to ensure children have access to inclusive protection services during and after lockdowns where they can be supported if they’ve fallen victim to abuse, violence of or exploitation, and to support children’s mental health and psychosocial wellbeing.
– Save the Children held the largest survey of its kind since the pandemic was announced, to generate evidence about the impact of COVID-19 on children.
– Save the Children interviewed 8,069 children between 11 and 17 years old and 17,565 adults across 37 countries, all beneficiaries of Save the Children. Most of the interviewed children were in Asia (45%), followed by East and southern Africa (20%), Latin America (14%), the Middle East (10%) and West and Central Africa (8%). The surveys were done online and over the phone.
