Home schooling was, in many countries, seen as a very short-term solution to the Pandemic. Sadly, this is now a medium and possibly long-term situation if we move to a fourth wave. But while the privileged have had to put up with increased bills for therapy, and in some cases taking the option to change from state school to private schooling for their children, in many poor countries there is little in the way of infrastructure to be able to deliver online classes. This article from the BBC points out that according to UNICEF “one in three children in Latin America have received “poor quality” distance learning” and have “lost nearly four times more days of schooling than in other parts of the world”. In Bolivia with 3% having Internet access and 28% of homes owning a computer home learning has been very different. In Peru with many communities living in the Amazon rainforest loud speakers have been installed to broadcast classes. Efforts have been made to equip children with some device resources have been stretched. UNICEF Executive Director, Henrietta Fore declared there is a “unique opportunity that could see the lives of millions of children transformed” and that we “must capitalise on this thirst for transformation”. Let´s hope that this does bring change.
