SADC and UNESCO sign agreement to ensure learning never stops

The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Secretariat and the United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have signed a Joint Statement and Action Plan on ensuring continuity of learning in the context of COVID-19.

The two organisations highlighted the importance of regional coordination and partnerships in responding to the COVID-19 to avoid duplication of efforts and resources. The SADC Secretariat agreed to work with UNESCO, leading a Global Education Coalition to support SADC Member States in mitigating the effects of the coronavirus on education, and in ensuring the continuity of education and learning programmes.

The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in massive closure of schools, polytechnics, and universities affecting more than 1.5 billion learners and youth across the planet. School closures widen education inequalities and affect vulnerable children and youth disproportionately.

Through their collaboration, the SADC Secretariat and UNESCO seek to facilitate inclusive learning opportunities for children, and youth during this period of sudden and unprecedented educational disruption. This is to support countries in scaling up good practices of distance learning solutions, and reaching the most at-risk children and youth. Investment in remote learning should both mitigate the immediate disruption caused by COVID-19, and accelerate the development of more open and flexible quality education systems.

Through this agreement, the SADC Secretariat and UNESCO commit to work with SADC Member States, and other Global Coalition partners to provide support to Member States to ensure continuity of education. Support will be provided to SADC countries for mobilizing resources and implementing innovative, and context-appropriate solutions to provide education and learning remotely, leveraging hi-tech, low-tech and no-tech approaches, and seek equitable solutions and universal access.

Strengthening access to innovative distance learning opportunities will ensure the provision of high-quality curricular content. It also presents an opportunity to strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education to ensure learners will develop the right knowledge, skills and creative minds required by productive sectors in member states.

The partnership will seek equitable solutions, ensure coordinated responses, and avoid overlapping efforts, while facilitating the return of students to school when they reopen to avoid an upsurge in dropout rates.

Original source: UNESCO
Published on 14 April 2020