COVID-19 is no longer just a health crisis. It has led to nationwide school closures in more than 100 countries, impacting over 860 million children and youth. The pandemic is also leading to global questioning and distrust in state institutions, specifically the educational ones, as never before has education been disrupted at this scale. This crisis should serve as a catalyst to support transformative changes in education and a greater shared sense of global responsibility.
To be held at the margins of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), this panel will consider the community of nations’ collective response to the pandemic and its associated financial, economic, and social repercussions worldwide. With the goal of improved responses to future crises, especially by global and regional institutions, it will seek answers to difficult questions, such as:
(i) Is the ongoing pandemic an opportunity to rethink and revitalize our global education model?
(ii) Rigid curriculum and exams are all a byproduct of convenience and the scaling of education. With the pandemic, education has become more flexible and more inconvenient at the same time. Are leaders in education ready to embrace this change?
(iii) How can COVID-19 trigger a more effective and meaningful mindset shift in the way we approach education in our communities?
(iv) How can we regain the trust and decrease the gap of expectations between communities and educational institutions?