COVID-19

An evidence and practice-based reopening of schools 

Since this pandemic is unique so as the extend of closure, there is a crucial need for sharing information about the local and national strategies in different contexts. That’s why the UNESCO Chair and WHO Collaborating Centre in Global Health and Education have launched a knowledge sharing process on school reopening. 

The first results from the survey on school reopening are now available. Go to preview survey school reopening.

Resources

• Articles
• Guidelines
• Tools

Articles

• A Health Promotion Focus on COVID-19. Keep the Trojan horse out of our health systems: Promote health for ALL in times of crisis and beyond!
  The Health Promotion section of the European Public Health Association, IUHPE and the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education would like to share five talking points that could evolve into a more refined and targeted public health discussion on the implications of this pandemic, from a health promotion perspective.
• ASPHER statement on the use of masks by children
  ASPHER has made an additional Statement and Infographic specifically addressing the use of masks by children. Also available in German, Spanish, French and Portuguese. 
• Coronavirus: what researchers know about the risk of reopening schools – and how best to limit it
  Article by Nicola Gray, Didier Jourdan and Michael Marmot published by the Conversation. The authors consider the question if the benefits of reopening schools outweigh the risks, and if so, what the conditions are of a safe return?
• COVID-19 and Community Action: Importance of Health Promotion 
  COVID-19 provides us an opportunity to reflect our community action for health improvement. Health promotion in different settings, primary healthcare, school, workplace and municipalities, all have their key roles to support the local community to face the public health challenges.
• COVID-19 in children and the role of school settings in COVID-19 transmission
  The aim of this document from ECDC is to provide an overview of the epidemiology and disease characteristics of COVID-19 in children (0-18 years) in EU/EEA countries and the United Kingdom (UK), and an assessment of the role of childcare (preschools; ages 0-<5 years) and educational (primary and secondary schools; ages 5-18 years) settings in COVID-19 transmission.
• Expected impact of reopening schools after lockdown on COVID-19 epidemic in Île-de-France
  This report updates and extends the evaluation of lockdown and exit strategies
• Face masks for the public during the covid-19 crisis 
  In this article the authors argue that policy makers should apply the precautionary principle now and encourage people to wear face masks on the grounds that we have little to lose and potentially something to gain from this measure.
• How Covid-19 will force education into the future
  Article by Sean Slade, ASCD. In decades to come, the first months of 2020 will be seen as a watershed moment. It will be looked upon as a moment that changed the way we operate and the way we perceive ourselves, our communities, and our purpose.
• Policy Brief: The Impact of COVID-19 on children
  While children have thankfully been largely spared from the direct health effects of COVID-19 at least to date – the crisis is having a profound effect on their wellbeing. All children are being affected, in particular by the socio-economic impacts and, in some cases, by mitigation measures that may inadvertently do more harm than good. Moreover, the harmful effects of this pandemic will not be distributed equally. This policy brief provides a deeper analysis of these effects. It identifies also a series of immediate and sustained actions for the attention of governments and policymakers.
• Reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic: governments must balance the uncertainty and risks of reopening schools against the clear harms associated with prolonged closure
  Evidence to guide countries on reopening schools are sparse and there is continuing uncertainty about the degree to which school children are susceptible to and transmit COVID-19. However decisions will need to be made based upon currently available evidence and recognising that both reopening schools and keeping them closed carry considerable risk. The article reviews the benefits and risks of school closure and outlines five key principles for reopening schools
• Re-opening schools: what knowledge can we rely upon? 
  In this article the authors propose to take stock of the data available today as to the timing and process of re-opening schools. On the basis of the available data, the writers identify four benchmarks likely to guide both political decision-making and the action of parents, pupils and professionals.
• School closure and management practices during coronavirus outbreaks including COVID-19: a rapid systematic review
  The authors of this article undertook a systematic review by searching three electronic databases to identify what is known about the effectiveness of school closures and other school social distancing practices during coronavirus outbreaks. Policy makers need to be aware of the equivocal evidence when considering school closures for COVID-19, and that combinations of social distancing measures should be considered.
• What COVID-19 is teaching us about inequality and the sustainability of our health systems 
  EuroHealthNet has published an article about COVID-19 exposing the existing and persisting health inequalities in our societies. People living in deprivation or facing difficult socio-economic circumstances will experience the heaviest impact of the pandemic.

Guidelines

• A framework to guide an education response to the COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020 
  OECD report which aims at supporting education decision making to develop and implement effective education responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The report offers a framework to guide the development of context-specific education strategies. It includes a checklist of 25 points to support the development of an education strategy during the pandemic.
• Building back equal. Girls back to school guide
  The guide aims to help policymakers and practitioners in Ministries of Education and their partners address the gender dimensions of the COVID-related school closures
• Considerations for School that are open
  As some communities in the United States open K-12 schools, CDC offers the following considerations for ways in which schools can help protect students, teachers, administrators, and staff and slow the spread of COVID-19.
• COVID-19 and Its Implications for Protecting Children Online
  Now more than ever, children and their families are turning to digital solutions to support children’s learning, socialization and play. While digital solutions provide significant opportunities for sustaining and promoting children’s rights, these same tools may also increase children’s exposure to online risks. This technical note from UNICEF and partners sets out some of the key priorities and recommendations on how to mitigate those risks and promote positive online experiences for children.
• Education International Guidance on Reopening Schools and Education Institutions 
  As a growing number of countries are considering easing restrictions and gradually resuming onsite education, Education International stresses a set of five dimensions that should be considered by governments, in dialogue with educators and their unions, when planning this next phase of the response to the COVID-19 crisis in education.
• First Statement of ASPHER on COVID-19 and its Impacts on Children During and After the Pandemic
  COVID-19 – How, why, and for how long will children be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and what are the solutions to mitigate these consequences, particularly on education and schooling
• Guidance for COVID-19 prevention and control in schools 
  UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have developed a document to provide clear and actionable guidance for safe operations through the prevention, early detection and control of COVID-19 in schools and other educational facilities.
• Safe to learn during COVID-19: Recommendations
  Safe to Learn partners have released a set of recommendations for governments to help prevent and respond to violence against children in different learning environments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  In these recommendations, Safe to Learn partners outline a number of existing challenges, including the fact that right now, many children are not safe to learn at home.
• Supporting Schools to Provide a Safe Online Learning Experience
  Partners from the Safe to Learn coalition issued guidance for facilitating safe, effective online learning experiences for children during COVID-19. This guidance is directed at education ministries as they develop policies and resources to support schools in providing a safe online learning experience.
• UNESCO COVID-19 Education Sector issue notes
  UNESCO Education Sector’s issue notes cover key topics related to the COVID-19 education response. They provide evidence of good practices, practical tips and links to important reference to mitigate the short and longer term impact of school closures.
  The issue notes are prepared collectively by UNESCO education colleagues across the world and cover several topics under nine thematic areas, namely: Health and wellbeing; Continuity of learning and teaching; Gender equity and equality; Teaching and learning; Higher education and TVET; Education and culture; Education policy and planning; Vulnerable populations, as well as Global citizenship education and Education for sustainable development.
  • Health & nutrition during home learning. Issue note 1.1
  • Nurturing the social and emotional wellbeing of children and young people during crises. Issue note 1.2
  • Distance learning strategies in response to COVID-19 school closures. Issue note 2.1
  • Supporting teachers and education personnel during times of crisis. Issue note 2.2
  • Unlocking the potential of family and intergenerational learning. Issue note 2.3
  • Crisis-sensitive educational planning. Issue note 2.4
  • Addressing the gender dimensions of school closures. Issue note 3.1
  • COVID-19 crisis and curriculum: sustaining quality outcomes in the context of remote learning. Issue note 4.2 
  • Managing high-stakes assessments and exams during crisis. Issue note 4.3
  • TVET systems and labour markets. Issue note 5.2
  • Harnessing culture in times of crise. Issue note 6.1
  • School reopening. Issue note 7.1 
  • Anticipated impact of COVID-19 on public expenditures on education and implication for UNESCO work. Issue note 7.2
  • Conflict-affected, displaced and vulnerable populations. Issue note 8.1
• UNESCO’s weekly webinars about the educational dimensions of the COVID-19 pandemic

Tools

• COVID-19! How Can I Protect Myself and Others?
  This guide aims to help young people understand the science and social science of COVID-19 as well as help them take actions to keep themselves, their families and communities safe. The guide was developed by the Smithsonian Science Education Center, in collaboration with WHO and the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) and is available in 15 languages.
• Ensuring educational continuity during school closures
  Ensuring educational continuity in a situation of confinement is not an easy task, both for teachers and families. In order to support teachers but also families during this period, when children learn differently, resources developed in 2019 are made available in French on the website Réussir, Etre bien, Etre ensemble.
• Framework for reopening schools 
  UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank and the World Food Programme have developed a Framework which aims to inform the decision-making process regarding school reopening, support national preparations and guide the implementation process, as part of overall public health and education planning processes. It is designed to be a flexible tool that can be adapted to each context and updated as the situation changes. The guidelines outline six key priorities to assess the readiness of those schools and inform planning.
• Knowledge Map: WASH in Schools and Coronavirus 
  The WASH in Schools Network (UNICEF, GIZ, Save the Children, WATERAID; Emory, LSHTM, among others) has compiled a knowledge map with links to relevant materials about COVID-19 for learners, their families and the education system. The map is intended for the time when schools are closed and in preparation for re-opening of schools.
• Schools Decision Tool. Public Health Considerations for Reopening Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic
  The purpose of this tool, published by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is to assist administrators in making (re)opening decisions regarding K-12 schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.