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COVID-19 causes biggest disruption of education in history - UN

GENEVA, Aug 13 (KUNA) -- A new study by the UN Health Organization (WHO) and UN Children's Fund, UNICEF said that COVID-19 has created the largest disruption to education ever recorded, affecting nearly 1.6 billion students in more than 190 countries.
About 43 percent of schools globally lacked access to basic handwashing with soap and water: a key condition for schools to be able to operate safely in the midst of the pandemic, the UN data showed.
It added that 818 million children worldwide lack basic handwashing facilities at school, more than one third are in sub-Saharan Africa.
The study noted that 60 countries live at highest risk of health and humanitarian crises due to the virus, three-quarters of children lacked the basic ability to wash their hands at school at the start of the outbreak, while half lacked basic water service.
The report stressed that governments seeking to control coronavirus spread must balance the need for implementing public health measures against the social and economic impacts of lockdown measures.
The partners said evidence of the negative impacts of prolonged school closures on children has been well documented.
"Global school closures since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic have presented an unprecedented challenge to childrenآ’s education and wellbeing," said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director.
"We must prioritize childrenآ’s learning. This means making sure that schools are safe to reopen - including with access to hand hygiene, clean drinking water and safe sanitation," he added.
On her part, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore added in the introduction to the same study that the global school closure since the outbreak of the pandemic has posed an unprecedented challenge to children's education and well-being.
She called for giving priority to children's education by making schools safe to reopen, including access to hand hygiene, clean drinking water and safe sanitation.
The study identified the resources for preventing and controlling the virus in schools based on the guidelines for safe reopening, which were issued by UNICEF and its partners last April of this year and directed towards national and local authorities.
These guidelines included several protocols on hygiene measures, use of personal protective equipment, cleaning and disinfection, as well as providing access to clean water, handwashing stations with soap and safe toilets.
UNICEF and WHO affirmed their commitment to achieving equitable access to water, sanitation and health services all over the world, including through the Hand Hygiene for All initiative that supports vulnerable communities. (end) ta.nhq