Education is a fundamental human right, a public good and the best possible investment to build a powerful human capital. Our world stands at a turning point as the pandemic and natural disasters exacerbated the quality of our education. We must seize this opportunity to rethink education as we are witnessing its change and transformation. Yes, we are living it now. It is never too late to start investing more in education. Now is the right time.

How did COVID and natural disasters affect our education in Madagascar? “My child's education level has gone worse since the school shut down,'' said a parent during the school year 2019-2020. Some schools have prepared a pandemic or natural disaster plan, but not all the schools in Madagascar. Education is now the most affected priority sector in the world, a dangerous path as without education, our country will not be able to fight against social inequalities and inequities. As we celebrate the fourth International Day of Education, we must stand up for the idea that “schools must be the first to open and the last to shut” (International Day of Education: Changing Course, Transforming Education webinar, Jan. 24 2022). But how? We want our loved ones to be safe and to be well-educated.

What are the practiced alternatives and its barriers? Schools have suffered from shut down and many extended breaks since 2020 without a clear solution from the Ministry of Education to tackle the school year disruption. Since then, school leaders and teachers have developed their creativity and resilience skills to tackle the disruptions made by the pandemic; some schools provided homework activities, some provided recorded lessons with exercises, and the privileged ones could take advantage of Learning Management Systems such as Google classrooms, Canvas and Moodle. Distance learning is for now the only way to cover the gap of non-in-person classes. But we are in Madagascar, a country with limited access to technology and limited access to the internet. Not all parents and students have an internet connection, computers and smartphones. Not all schools can afford technology in addition to the lack of good school infrastructure and teacher professional development. In-person classes are the best way to learn at school, but distance education covers the gap of non-in-person classes. Undoubtedly, students learn less through distance education but as it is indispensable, we must promote its access so that they are provided the right to education. We must invest more in the quality of education and reduce the inequalities in distance learning.

What’s the future of education? The new global report on the Futures of Education:  Reimagining our futures together “A new social contract for education” was released In November 2021, by UNESCO. Here are three big questions that the report proposes: What should we continue doing? What should we abandon? What needs to be creatively reimagined? The questions are addressed to everyone and the answers will benefit the whole nation. One thing is clear: we need to make sure that education is inclusive, equitable and that all students are receiving a quality of learning.  Education is a common good.

Recommendations:

To mark this International Day of Education, here are three recommendations:

• Schools must make a plan. The only way to tackle the pandemic, epidemic, or a natural disaster is a school response. Schools must make a pandemic/ epidemic plan and natural disaster plan. Write the plan and make it happen by using the resources available, by training the faculty and staff, by preparing parents and students to have a school year without disruption.
• Teach digital literacy at school. Reading and writing are necessary skills for digital literacy but we use technology to receive and communicate information. Digital literacy helps develop skills needed to manipulate technology such as reading on a device, sending audio-videos, interacting online and submitting homework online.
• Recognize digital literacy and access to the internet. Recognizing that children's digital literacy and access to the Internet are increasingly essential to achieving their right to education, the government must provide affordable, reliable and accessible Internet services and necessary educational technologies to all students and schools. Free access to data and services should be provided. All possible steps must be taken as now education is a top priority.

The pandemic and natural disasters remind us that we are interconnected in many ways and must collaborate. We can only move forward to the transformation of education together, through solidarity and cooperation. Teachers need support so that they can build real connections with their students, help them achieve the highest levels, and offer real-time solutions to the obstacles they face in the classroom and at a distance. Parents need assistance and necessary resources to be in tune with the school’s program and values. Above all, students need encouragement to believe in themselves, develop their talents and reach their full potential. To rethink education, we need an education system that empowers the intelligence of humankind.

Reference: International Day of Education: Changing Course, Transforming Education UNESCO Webinar, Jan. 25 2022