The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education systems around the world, resulting in an unprecedented emergency with school closures affecting 1.6 billion learners (Azevedo et al., 2021). This brought to light the need for resilient education systems that can provide education during emergencies and school closures (UNICEF, 2021). The challenge of…

The implementation of remote learning?in Latin America and the Caribbean during the COVID-19 school closures?confirmed that the divide?in access to electricity and?technology?remained?a?major hurdle?for governments across the region?to serve all children.?School closures risk widening?existing learning gaps as?private schools were?more prepared to…

Countries in West and Central Africa strived to implement national responses to continue learning activities during school closures. These responses relied on a mix of channels, including online platforms, broadcast media, mobile phones and printed learning packs. Several barriers, however, still prevented many children and adolescents in the…

One tool that many families own, across the globe, is a basic mobile phone. The use of low-cost basic mobile phones for educational purposes in humanitarian settings is critical where access to connectivity and higher cost devices is limited. The portability of mobile phones, combined with their communication features, offers multiple uses to…

In Afghanistan, 93% of children cannot read a simple text by the age of 10. Education is not available to everyone, especially for girls and children in remote areas. A form of community-based education, called Accelerated Learning Centers (ALCs), can help close the distance barrier and meet the needs of out-of-school children and girls. In May…

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every aspect of society. In mid-April 2020, 192 countries had closed their schools, putting 9 out of 10 enrolled children out of school. These closures disproportionately affected marginalized children, worsening existing inequities across education systems worldwide. This brief draws on the experience of five…