Open schools are the exception, not the rule, around the world
American children are among more than a billion students globally facing a fall without traditional school. Many may never return to the classroom.
President Donald Trump often cites examples from Europe as evidence American schools can reopen in-person this fall despite Covid-19, but he fails to mention one thing: They are the exception, not the rule.
Only a few countries have opened schools nationwide in the manner the Trump administration is pushing. They include Norway, France and New Zealand, as well as Nicaragua, Taiwan and Vietnam. On the other hand, 143 countries have
“This has become highly contextual,” said David Barth, vice president for International Programs at Save the Children. “We want kids back to school. It’s achievable if you have standards, but do it wrong and you set an entire country back.”
Countries with open schools tend to fall into two categories. Some took swift action against the pandemic in January to minimize disruption. Others were less proactive in the fight against Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, but they prioritized education in their recovery plan, coordinated by the top levels of government. The United States did neither.
That lumps the U.S. in the same ranks as most of the developing world, including large swathes of Africa, South America and Asia, that are keeping children home. According to data from UNICEF and UNESCO, less than one in CONTINUE READING: Open schools are the exception, not the rule, around the world - POLITICO
