Education

Climate change threatens the lives, health and well-being of children. They are the most vulnerable to its effects, and those who live in low-income communities are at particularly high risk of harm. To save and protect lives and prevent climate change’s worst impacts on children, we need to act now. There are clear, practical solutions that work…, Paving the way for a climate resilient education system in India, A group of students using polybags from waste and fill them with field soil to grow the saplings for school nursery  during environmental activities session at a school in Maharashtra, India India, 2023. Students use polybags from waste and fill them with field soil to grow saplings for their school nursery as part of an environmental activities…, Early detection of groundwater depletion in Madagascar, The semi-arid southern region of Madagascar has been hit hard by years of severe droughts, which has left more than 4.8 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. The region has the country’s lowest water supply coverage, which is further exacerbated by climate change. The lack of rainfall and other environmental factors have also affected…, Innovations in climate risk reduction in Venezuela, A boy, 10, collects safe water at the UNICEF-installed solar-powered water treatment plant in Venezuela Venezuela, 2023. Dahir Franco, 10,collects safe water at the UNICEF-installed solar-powered water treatment plant in San Francisco de Guayo, Venezuela. Disaster risk reduction is an essential element of responding to climate change as children…, Reducing the impact of greenhouse gas emissions from sanitation in Kampala, Uganda, Two masons construct a new pit latrine with a bathroom in a village in Uganda. Uganda, 2022. Two masons construct a new municipality-approved pit latrine with a bathroom, for a commercial structure in Mukono, Uganda. Climate change and sanitation are intrinsically connected. Poorly managed sanitation emits significant greenhouse gas (GHG)…

Smiling is contagious and these happy children from around the world are sure to put a smile on your face! Find out what's been making them smile this year: Above: 13-month-old Jonaila from the Philippines is grinning from ear to ear the day before her first routine immunizations. UNICEF procures and distributes vaccines and other essential…

BUCHAREST, Romania – Anastasiia remembers the scenes at the train station in Bucharest in the weeks after she arrived in Romania. She had fled to the city from her hometown of Odesa, in southern Ukraine, with her two-year-old son Kyril as the conflict intensified. Anastasiia left behind her husband, her parents, and her job as deputy principal of…

Mohammad Al-Amin was 14 years old when he was arrested. He had been accused of vandalism and was transferred to a child detention centre in the outskirts of Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka. He was terrified. Al-Amin had no idea what the conditions would be in a place that was far from his home. He arrived at a noisy facility, that was crowded with…, More than 5,000 children reunited with their families, The virtual children’s courts were developed to help expedite the backlog of cases involving children. Many had been detained after being accused of minor offences. The courts also helped to alleviate health concerns, with crowded conditions at the detention facilities putting young people at increased risk of contracting COVID-19. “When I started…, Call for virtual children’s courts to become permanent, The virtual courts were suspended in July 2021, after COVID-related restrictions were lifted in Bangladesh. UNICEF is advocating for these courts to become a permanent fixture of the justice system in the country. These virtual courts would allow for children to remain in school pending their court hearings. It would also help to avoid the…, Return to normality and school, On his release from detention, Al-Amin was assigned a probation officer to take care of the case proceedings, and two social workers to help with his return. “Rana bhai and Redwan bhai [the social workers] look after me now and visit me every now and then to see what I am up to – whether I’m studying or not, whether I’m on the right path or not,”…

21 June 2022 When schools have safe water, toilets and soap for handwashing, children have a healthy learning environment, and girls are more likely to attend when they are on their period. Children who learn about safe water, sanitation and hygiene habits at school can reinforce positive life-long behaviours in their homes and their communities.…, Drinking water, A boy in Papua New Guinea smiles as clean water runs out of a tap Ryan, 11, is happy to see the return of clean, safe drinking water at his school in Papua New Guinea following an earthquake in February 2018. Globally 29 per cent of schools do not have basic drinking water service, impacting 546 million schoolchildren.* 1 in 3 primary schools and…, Toilets, A young boy by a latrine in Djibouti. A young boy uses a latrine outside a UNICEF supported school in Djibouti. Globally only 70 per cent of schools have a basic sanitation service.** 1 in 3 primary schools and 1 in 4 secondary schools have no basic sanitation service. In sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania, less than half of schools have basic…, Handwashing, Children washing their hands in Tunisia. Children wash their hands before a meal at school in Tunisia. 802 million children worldwide lack a basic hygiene service at their school.** 42 per cent of primary schools and 40 per cent of secondary schools have no basic hygiene service. One third of children without basic hygiene services live in the…

Smiling is contagious and these happy children from around the world are sure to put a smile on your face! Find out what's been making them smile this year: Above: Franky, 3, was separated from his parents during the crossing of the Darien Gap, a dangerous jungle that separates Colombia and Panama, but reunited with them both a couple of days…

KALAHANDI, India – “Children have completely forgotten what they learned two years ago,” says Jagadish, a teacher from Kalahandi, a rural area in the Indian state of Odisha. “And it’s sad to see how they are so scared to come to my centre now.” A devastating second wave of COVID-19 in the first half of 2021 forced schools across India to close,…

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to daily life and children are feeling these changes deeply. While a return to school will be welcomed by many students, others will be feeling anxious or frightened. Here are tips to help your children navigate some of the complicated emotions they may be facing with going back to school.  , My child is scared to go back to school. How can I help him feel at ease? , Starting school or starting a new school year can be stressful at the best of times, let alone during a global pandemic. You can make him feel at ease by having an open conversation about what it is that’s worrying him and letting him know that it’s natural to feel anxious. Children may feel nervous or reluctant to return to school, especially if…, My child’s school is recommending the wearing of protective clothing, which is making my child feel more nervous. What should I say to her?, Approach this conversation with empathy, saying that you know she is feeling anxious and that it’s healthy to talk about our worries and emotions. Children may also get upset or frustrated if they find it hard to wear masks. Try reassuring your children that lots of adults are working hard to help keep your family safe, but emphasize that it's…, How can I encourage my child to follow precautions (such as frequent handwashing,  etc.) at school without alarming her?, Regular handwashing is an important precaution to protect children (and all of us!) not just against COVID-19, but other diseases as well. And encouraging frequent handwashing with your children doesn't need to be a scary conversation. Sing along with their favourite song or do a dance together to make learning fun. Make sure to teach them about…, My child is not part of the same group as his close friends returning to school and is feeling even more isolated. How can he feel more connected to the classroom and his friends?, If your child’s school starts to return gradually, your child may be anxious about being separated from his friends. When the official reopening of schools is announced, help him get ready to return to school by sharing information on when and how this will happen.  Letting your kids know ahead of time that schools may need to close again will…, How can I gently check in to see how my child is coping?, It’s important to be calm and proactive in your conversations with children – check in with them to see how they are doing. Their emotions will change regularly and you need to show them that’s okay. Whether at school or at home, caregivers can engage children in creative activities, such as playing and drawing, to help them express and…, Is there anything I should look out for as my child starts back at school?, In addition to checking in on your child’s physical health and learning when she goes back to school, you should also keep an eye out for signs of stress and anxiety. COVID-19 may be impacting your child’s mental health, and it’s important to demonstrate that it’s normal and OK to feel overwhelmed at times. When in doubt, empathy and support are…, My child is worried about bullying at school and online, how can I talk to him about it?, If your child is worried about bullying either in person or online, it’s important to let him know that he is not alone and can always talk to you or another trusted adult. The more you  talk to your children about bullying , the more comfortable they will be telling you if they see or experience it. Check in with your children daily and ask about…

As adults, we all have diverse needs and different ways of coping with stressful situations. For children, it is the same. Some children will have dealt well with restrictions and school closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For others, it is challenging to cope with all the changes and uncertainty. Some children will return to school having…, 1.    Listen to children’s concerns, COVID-19 and school closures impacted many children and adolescents' mental health and well-being. As teachers, it is essential to listen to students' concerns and demonstrate understanding as well as empathy. Offer your students the opportunity to have a one-to-one conversation with you to reconnect and discuss any concerns that might have arisen…, 2.    Check how children are doing, Before teaching new academic content to students, teachers and school personnel should take time to check how children are doing. Remember that children may have difficulty concentrating at first or may need more time to get back into the routine of learning. Provide opportunities for children to take breaks, move around, and re-connect with their…, 3.    Provide children with accurate information around COVID-19, As children return to school, they may have different thoughts and questions about COVID-19. Children want and need factual information. Use child-friendly and age-appropriate resources available in your country/region that is based on scientific evidence to respond to children's questions about COVID-19 accurately.  While it is important to…, 4.     Seek suggestions from children on how to create a welcoming, safe and comfortable classroom , Engage children in making the classroom a welcoming, safe and comfortable space. When doing so, make sure to respect school safety procedures and use available material resources.  Children can provide suggestions; help decorate the walls of the classroom with colourful and welcoming messages and work in small groups so they can support each other…, 5.    Watch out for any warning signs of child behaviour that interferes with their ability to explore, play and learn, Be attentive to changes in children's behaviours. If you notice significant changes in a student’s behaviour and this persists over time, preventing them from functioning or playing, please follow school protocol, and/ or seek additional support and guidance. Teachers can provide lots of support if they feel a child is struggling. However, you…, 6.    Encourage play and sports to promote interaction between students, In many countries children have been following strict physical distance measures and have been prevented from using playgrounds and other public spaces to play and interact with their peers. Make sure that when children return to school that they have lots of opportunities to socialize, play and interact with the peers they have missed for so long…, 7.    Model good coping behaviours for students – be calm, honest, and caring, Teachers can be positive role models for their students. Children will look at you and learn from the skills you use daily to deal with stressful situations. Be calm, honest, and caring, and demonstrate  a positive attitude to children., 8.    Take care of yourself and know your limits, Teaching can be an extremely stressful profession, particularly now. Make sure to protect your own physical and mental health (e.g. maintain healthy eating and sleeping habits, rest, exercise, connect with friends, family, and colleagues). Remember to seek support if you notice yourself experiencing significant feelings of distress. Related…

As schools reopen, it’s important that precautions are taken both inside and outside the classroom to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This article aims to support teachers with information and tips on: Physical distancing at school Practicing health and hand hygiene   Cleaning and disinfecting tips for the classroom   Actions to take if a student…, Physical distancing at schools, When it comes to physical distancing, it is important that you establish some classroom ground rules in accordance with the procedures established by your school’s administration, as well as the protocols established by your respective country’s Ministry of Health and/or local health bodies and authorities. Recommended measures include: Maintain a…, Health and hand hygiene, Teachers have a critical role to play in ensuring students understand the precautions they should take to protect themselves and others from COVID-19, and it is important you lead by example in the classroom. Handwashing is one of easiest, more cost efficient and effective way of combating the spread of germs and keeping students and staff healthy…, Cleaning and disinfecting, Information on how to maintain the cleanliness and sanitization of your classroom. Daily cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces and objects that are touched often, such as desks, countertops, doorknobs, computer keyboards, hands-on learning items, taps, phones and toys. Immediately clean surfaces and objects that are visibly soiled. If surfaces or…, Actions to take if one of your students appears to be sick, Identifying COVID-19 symptoms The most common symptoms are fever, cough, and tiredness. Other symptoms can include shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, muscle or body aches, headache, loss of taste or smell, confusion, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, and skin rashes.   School…

SÉGOU REGION, Mali – Persistent insecurity in central and northern Mali has helped fuel a protracted humanitarian crisis, disrupting access to education, health and other services, and displacing more than 300,000 people – more than half of them children. COVID-19 has compounded the problem. Before the pandemic, direct threats and attacks on…

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the lives of families around the world. Across virtually every key measure of childhood , progress has gone backward in the 12 months since the pandemic was declared, leaving children confronting a devastating and distorted new normal. The past year has seen an increase in children who have been left hungry,…