The Global Impact of Coronavirus on Education

UNESCO states that the amount of students that are absent in schools globally due to the COVID-19 virus is “unparalleled”. Having an impact on almost 290 million students across the globe.

A record count of children, youngsters, and university students are not in education centers because of global closures. Most of them are indefinite or temporary, as we all are trying to help the spreading of this virus.

Which nations have instructed school closures?

As per UNESCO, countries that have issued a total school closure include China, Italy, and Japan, effectively impacting over 290 million students worldwide.

A further nine countries have applied localized school locks to prevent or control the spread of COVID-19. Should these nations also order nationwide closure of schools it would certainly prevent another 180 million from attending their classes.

The circumstances in the United States are fluid, with only a few of the schools canceling classes over Coronavirus. However, the downtown city of Los Angeles declared a state of urgency on 4 March, informing parents of massive school closures that are coming in the United States' second-largest school area.

What are the next consequences of Coronavirus-related closure of schools?

Educational institutions do not just provide education for students, but rather they assist families and society. Parents in some countries will have to organize their time accordingly, paid or unpaid hours to take care of their children. This will also have an impact on the overall economy and productivity of the family and the general global economy.

Some governments of the world are trying their best to help. France, for example, has obliged to provide 14 days of paid sick leave for parents if they have no other options but to take care of their children during the quarantine period.

The state of Japan is offering subsidies to businesses to help with the expenses of parents taking their leave to mind for their children.

UNESCO says that some of the causes why these widespread closures will be detrimental are:

• Interrupted Learning

Schooling provides crucial education and when schools shut down, youth are stripped for opportunities for growth and advancement. The drawbacks are unequal for underprivileged learners that have fewer educational chances beyond school.

• Unintended pressure on healthcare

Our dear women often represent a giant share of healthcare employees and often are unable to attend work because of children's obligations that Are a direct consequence of school closures. This essentially means that most of the medical workers are not at the facilities where they are much needed.

• Unprepared parents for homeschooling

When institutions close, parents are in most cases obliged to facilitate the education of children at home and often struggle to perform such tasks. This is particularly true for parents with scarce education and resources.

Online Learning in the age of COVID-19

Schools and governments are looking for various ways to keep children educated while in home isolation. Some of the Italian universities are utilizing distance, online learning to provide education to both Italian students - and those foreign ones who had the urge to return to their home nations due to the shutdown of US university programs in Italy. Learners at a school in South Devon are also using distant learning through online classes after their institution was shut after several confirmed cases of COVID-19.

What about education-related industries?

We are all familiar with downsides to the economy due to Coronavirus. Some of the education-related industries such as book publishers are in a certain decline.

For example, producers of student’s mid-year diaries have said that they’re still trying to adapt to the new imposed situation.

Due to learners being absent in their schools it has a direct impact on overall global economic performance as said before.

Most of them are looking for new ways to adapt to the current situation.

Conclusion

As the current situation demands it is important to follow public guidelines and make our loved ones safe. This, unfortunately, includes the closure of important educational facilities.

It is also advisable to provide proper information to young students, rather than having them check up bombastic news on social media.