from MARIA MACHARIA in Nairobi, Kenya
NAIROBI, (CAJ News) – WORLD leaders have been urged to address a looming global crisis as 30 million children might not return to school as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
The children face an uncertain future despite countries bringing their respective lockdowns against the pandemic to an end.
Save the Children is leading a campaign for world leaders to act.
A group of 275 former world leaders, economists and educationalists have endorsed the initiative.
They raised concern that the world’s poorest children had been locked out of learning and denied internet access.
With the loss of free school meals, which present a lifeline for 300 million boys and girls, hunger is growing.
Inger Ashing, Chief Executive Officer of Save the children, said, COVID-19 was a global public health crisis that had left the world facing an unprecedented education emergency.
The official said the emergency threatened to rob millions of children of their right to education, exacerbating inequalities linked to wealth and gender.
The emergency is also trapping entire countries in a downward spiral of slow growth, rising poverty, and shrinking opportunity.
“Governments should be investing in learning, instead we’re facing unparalleled budget cuts. The international community is sleepwalking into an avoidable education disaster that will scar an entire generation,” Ashing said.
COVID-19 is one of the worst global crisis in history.
More than 28 million people have been infected.
Over 773 000 have died since the virus was first detected in China at the end of 2019.
– CAJ News