The Well-being of School Children in Africa during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The KIX Observatory has published its second report, “The Well-being of School Children in Africa during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” This report contributes to the KIX Observatory’s  efforts to gather emerging evidence on education policy and practice responses to the pandemic in Africa. Through this platform, available evidence from 40 African partner countries of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) is being put to action, informing decision-makers, donors and education practitioners from the region.

The focus of this latest report on well-being acknowledges the severe impact of COVID-19 on children from Sub-Saharan Africa and the surmounting challenges faced by regional stakeholders with meeting their well-being needs. Common across the region were challenges associated with widespread misinformation about the reality of COVID-19. The disruption of supply chains and services that prevent schools from playing their usual support roles also created significant difficulties. The KIX Observatory’s research underlines the alarming plight of children living in refugee situations and girls and boys from disadvantaged households, with unprecedented disruptions to social support systems.

In gathering policy and practice experiences, this report identifies three types of educational responses to COVID-19 observed in the region: 1) health and nutrition programming, 2) protecting  women and girls from sexual violence and unwanted pregnancy, and 3) supporting displaced populations during COVID-19. Taking into account these efforts and the region’s shared challenges, the report outlines a series of recommendations for national policymakers to enhance the continuity of learning for their most vulnerable populations and support greater inclusivity in education. 

Find the full list of recommendations and the detailed report here. A respective live tracker of education policy and practice responses can be found here: https://bit.ly/3xsSdyX 

For more information on the KIX Observatory and how this platform contributes to global efforts to alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 on education, visit their website. The KIX Observatory’s first report on education financing in Africa during the pandemic can be found here.