Education for All in Times of Crisis

"This book gives a comprehensive account of an extraordinary year. One which saw pupils sent home to learn for five months, which saw schools stay open throughout the holidays to provide care for children of parents on the frontline and help for our most vulnerable. A year which saw an ever changing landscape of expectations and protocols and challenges. One which, at its beginning, would have been impossible to even dream. School leaders will find the advice on school and community focused pandemic planning invaluable in ensuring education can continue for all children, which it must." - Karen Allen, Executive Headteacher and Chair of Leicestershire Primary Headteachers, UK

"This book is timeous, thoughtful, pragmatic and visionary. It is based on voices from the field: researchers, practitioners, teachers, policy makers and civil society organisations working at the coalface of education when one of the most extraordinary educational events in modern day history occurred. The book distils deep insights into the complexities of education during a global pandemic, yet it is fiercely future-focused. How can we do better? What can we learn from crisis? What are the inherent opportunities and possibilities within the current crisis? These are the kind of questions raised by the contributions in this book. A most worthy read and an extraordinary resource for anyone working in education, particularly those who support the World Education Forum's Education for All goals which are co-ordinated by UNESCO." - Professor Irma Eloff Chair: Global Network of Deans of Education and University of Pretoria, South Africa

"Many politicians, policy makers, school leaders and teachers are wondering what effects the COVID-19-related school closures and disruptions will have on progress towards the global targets of the Education2030 agenda, specifically eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable development for all by 2030. In capturing the experiences of teachers across the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors provide a resource for answering these questions. The research -informed approaches, outlined in this book, will also assist efforts to address the digital divide and positively impact the futures of teachers, learners, families and communities." - Professor James O’Meara, President, International Council on Education for Teaching (www.icet4u.org) and Dean of Education, Texas and AandM International University, USA

"2020 has been the most challenging year that many headteachers will face during their careers. This book provides advice in futures thinking for school leaders so that they can plan to provide continuity of high quality teaching and learning for all during normal times as well as during times of crisis. This book endeavours to aid decision-making to prevent marginalisation of learners when schooling is disrupted." - Carl Smith, secondary headteacher, UK

"The research underpinning this book shows two aspects of education which show how our world is changing rapidly. Firstly, COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted education systems regardless of geographical boundaries and economic contexts. Secondly, the COVID-19 pandemic has widen the inequality in education as low- and lower-middle income countries have not been able to support learners at risk of exclusion. While children from families in low, middle and high income countries, who had the funds to provide internet connection, data and devices, experienced continuity of schooling as their teachers switched to online teaching. Others in low, middle and high income countries missed out on education entirely as their families resources could not bridge the digital divide. Minimising this inequity of access to education is fundamental to achieving the UN’s sustainable goals for education that are based on leave no one behind principles.

This book is a good reference book for policy makers and practitioners when planning and adapting policies to continue education services during and after pandemics and other crises and calls on policy makers to consider a holistic approach to ensuring ongoing educational development of the most marginalised children." - Purna Kumar Shrestha, Education Lead, VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas)

"This book documents teachers’ experiences during an unprecedented time in education. Navigating the challenges of continuing to provide pastoral support for all our pupils, as well as setting up remote learning, often from scratch, during the Covid pandemic has been incredibly difficult yet absolutely necessary in minimising the impact on our children. This book is invaluable in supporting staff to continue to develop provision, not only in preparation for another whole-school lockdown, but for those individual pupils who, for a number of reasons, are unable to access day-to-day schooling." - Rachel Peckover, primary deputy headteacher, UK

"Education for All in Times of Crisis casts light on how to sustain remote learners in turbulent times such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Its central argument is that learners can be marginalized when they are disconnected in virtual space, and this echoes our own online experience as teachers during the pandemic. This book not only serves as a valuable toolkit for classroom teachers and school leaders, but also provides valuable clues about governance and reform for policy makers and researchers." - Chenchen Lu and Mark Dressman, Teachers College Record