Inside Story

Can the education gap be bridged worldwide?

UNESCO says poverty, discrimination and coronavirus keep millions of students out of school.

Girls, immigrants, ethnic minorities and disabled people – just some of the world’s children at risk of not getting any education.

The United Nations says poverty and discrimination continue to prevent large numbers of people from going to school. 

Two years ago, the total number of children who were unable to get an education was about 260 million. That figure will be higher now because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Forty percent of low- and lower-middle-income countries failed to support teaching during the global spread of the novel coronavirus. 

Many students were cut off from online courses during national lockdowns. 

The UN’s education organisation UNESCO is urging countries to support those left behind as life begins to return to the new normal. 

So, what should be done to secure education for all? And can the gap be bridged? 

Presenter: Peter Dobbie

Guests:

Manos Antoninis – director of Global Education Monitoring Report, UNESCO

Lahcen Haddad – international consultant, World Bank

Maan al-Khatib – professor, Islamic University of Malaysia