COVID-19: Learning Cities On The Front Line

Everywhere in the world, cities are on the front line of the fight against COVID-19, from managing overstretched health and social services to coping with the closure of learning institutions.

With UNESCO estimating that more than 1.5 billion learners – over 90% of the world student population – are confined to their homes, providing alternative learning solutions has become the top priority for every ministry of education. However, in today’s increasingly decentralized systems, it is at local level that the impact of this new reality plays out. With more than half the world’s population living in urban areas, cities have an essential role to play in ensuring that all learners continue to enjoy full access, albeit at a distance, to education provision, especially in the most deprived areas and homes………….………………