Ammon News - UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore and UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay called for reopening schools.

In a joint statement on Tuesday, Fore and Azoulay said: "It’s been 18 months since the COVID-19 outbreak started and education for millions of children is still disrupted. As of today, primary and secondary schools are shuttered in 19 countries, affecting over 156 million students. This should not go on. Schools should be the last to close and the first to reopen."

The statement indicated that: "The losses that children and young people will incur from not being in school may never be recouped. From learning loss, mental distress, exposure to violence and abuse, to missed school-based meals and vaccinations or reduced development of social skills, the consequences for children will be felt in their academic achievement and societal engagement as well as physical and mental health."

It also pointed that the losses for parents and caretakers are equally heavy, noting that: "Keeping children at home is forcing parents around the world to leave their jobs, especially in countries with no or limited family leave policies."

"That’s why reopening schools for in-person learning cannot wait," the organizations affirmed.

"The risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools is manageable with appropriate mitigation strategies in most settings. The decision to open or close schools should be based on risk analysis and the epidemiological considerations in the communities where they are situated," the statement added.

(Petra)