New Coronavirus Creates Education Crisis Across Africa
2020-07-24
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1There seems to be many choices for students in Africa to continue studying while schools remain closed because of the coronavirus crisis.
2Lessons are taught on television or over the radio.
3Math problems appear in newspapers.
4Classes are held on video conferencing services like Zoom or WhatsApp.
5But the truth is that many students will fall behind and possibly drop out of school forever.
6If that happens, inequality will worsen across an already unequal continent.
7Mary Goretti Nakabugo is a literacy expert who runs a nonprofit education organization called Uwezo. It is based in Uganda.
8Nakabugo told The Associated Press, "I think education now is more of an emergency than the health issue. Children, she added, "are completely helpless at the moment."
9Nakabugo said that limited testing for COVID-19 means cases are likely undercounted in the East African country.
10But there have been no reported virus deaths in Uganda and just over 1,000 cases.
11The coronavirus crisis has created education difficulties around the world.
12But the schooling crisis is even more severe in Africa, where up to 80 percent of students are unable to connect to the internet.
13Electricity is also sometimes not dependable, making distance learning difficult or even impossible.
14And, in normal times, schools often provide safety to children and offer services that their families cannot pay for.
15Sub-Saharan Africa has more children who do not attend school than any other place in the world.
16The United Nations culture and education agency reports nearly one-fifth of children between the ages of six and 11, and over one-third of youth between 12 and 14, do not attend school.
17In a report published this week, the charity organization Save the Children called the coronavirus crisis the "biggest global education emergency of our time."
18The report identified 12 countries in which children "are at extremely high risk of dropping out forever."
19Nine of them are in sub-Saharan Africa.
20With the help of outside groups, some African governments have announced measures to support learning from home.
21But many have been limited by a lack of dependable electricity and poor internet connectivity.
22Even publishing lessons in newspapers can be too costly for people in some places.
23Uganda's government has promised to provide 10 million radios and over 130,000 solar-powered television sets.
24But officials have failed to honor other promises during the crisis, including giving free face coverings to everyone.
25In neighboring Kenya, schools for young children and teenagers will remain closed through 2020.
26Yet colleges and universities can reopen in September.
27The decision means Kenyan students will repeat a school year, a situation commonly described as a "dead year."
28The effects of school closures will not be limited to learning.
29A report by the Norway-based Christian Michelsen Institute said, "The critical consequences may be related to health, water and nutrition."
30That is because schools provide important services to many African young people, the development research organization noted.
31School closures may deny students access to food and health programs -- and sometimes clean water.
32Schools also provide protection for children from work and exploitation.
33Girls may especially suffer, says literacy expert Nakabugo.
34She noted several studies that have reported a rise in pregnancies among teenagers.
35The Norway-based group's report noted that the same thing happened during West Africa's Ebola crisis.
36The shutdown could also mean many schools close permanently and many teachers quit, worsening what is already the world's worst teacher shortage.
37Media reports in Uganda point to school owners who are looking to sell their properties or have turned student housing into apartments in order to pay their loans.
38In the West African nation of Senegal, education officials tried to keep children learning by broadcasting some classes on television after schools closed in March.
39The move aimed to reach students without home internet access.
40But electricity is often lacking in villages.
41At many schools in Zimbabwe, up to 70 students may be placed into a small room.
42The government is postponing a reopening plan that was supposed to start this month.
43Teachers unions, or labor groups, warned that such a plan was dangerous for schools lacking face coverings, personal cleaning products, and even running water.
44Even in South Africa, the continent's biggest economy, the government has faced criticism.
45Teachers unions question the government's decision to reopen schools despite a growing number of cases.
46I'm Pete Musto.
1There seems to be many choices for students in Africa to continue studying while schools remain closed because of the coronavirus crisis. Lessons are taught on television or over the radio. Math problems appear in newspapers. Classes are held on video conferencing services like Zoom or WhatsApp. 2But the truth is that many students will fall behind and possibly drop out of school forever. If that happens, inequality will worsen across an already unequal continent. 3Mary Goretti Nakabugo is a literacy expert who runs a nonprofit education organization called Uwezo. It is based in Uganda. 4Nakabugo told The Associated Press, "I think education now is more of an emergency than the health issue. Children, she added, "are completely helpless at the moment." 5Nakabugo said that limited testing for COVID-19 means cases are likely undercounted in the East African country. But there have been no reported virus deaths in Uganda and just over 1,000 cases. 6The coronavirus crisis has created education difficulties around the world. But the schooling crisis is even more severe in Africa, where up to 80 percent of students are unable to connect to the internet. Electricity is also sometimes not dependable, making distance learning difficult or even impossible. And, in normal times, schools often provide safety to children and offer services that their families cannot pay for. 7Sub-Saharan Africa has more children who do not attend school than any other place in the world. The United Nations culture and education agency reports nearly one-fifth of children between the ages of six and 11, and over one-third of youth between 12 and 14, do not attend school. 8In a report published this week, the charity organization Save the Children called the coronavirus crisis the "biggest global education emergency of our time." The report identified 12 countries in which children "are at extremely high risk of dropping out forever." Nine of them are in sub-Saharan Africa. 9With the help of outside groups, some African governments have announced measures to support learning from home. But many have been limited by a lack of dependable electricity and poor internet connectivity. Even publishing lessons in newspapers can be too costly for people in some places. 10Uganda's government has promised to provide 10 million radios and over 130,000 solar-powered television sets. But officials have failed to honor other promises during the crisis, including giving free face coverings to everyone. 11In neighboring Kenya, schools for young children and teenagers will remain closed through 2020. Yet colleges and universities can reopen in September. The decision means Kenyan students will repeat a school year, a situation commonly described as a "dead year." 12The effects of school closures will not be limited to learning. A report by the Norway-based Christian Michelsen Institute said, "The critical consequences may be related to health, water and nutrition." That is because schools provide important services to many African young people, the development research organization noted. 13School closures may deny students access to food and health programs -- and sometimes clean water. 14Schools also provide protection for children from work and exploitation. Girls may especially suffer, says literacy expert Nakabugo. She noted several studies that have reported a rise in pregnancies among teenagers. The Norway-based group's report noted that the same thing happened during West Africa's Ebola crisis. 15The shutdown could also mean many schools close permanently and many teachers quit, worsening what is already the world's worst teacher shortage. 16Media reports in Uganda point to school owners who are looking to sell their properties or have turned student housing into apartments in order to pay their loans. 17In the West African nation of Senegal, education officials tried to keep children learning by broadcasting some classes on television after schools closed in March. The move aimed to reach students without home internet access. But electricity is often lacking in villages. 18At many schools in Zimbabwe, up to 70 students may be placed into a small room. The government is postponing a reopening plan that was supposed to start this month. Teachers unions, or labor groups, warned that such a plan was dangerous for schools lacking face coverings, personal cleaning products, and even running water. 19Even in South Africa, the continent's biggest economy, the government has faced criticism. Teachers unions question the government's decision to reopen schools despite a growing number of cases. 20I'm Pete Musto. 21Rodney Muhumuza reported on this story for the Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. 22________________________________________________________________ 23Words in This Story 24conferencing - n. the act of meeting formally in order to talk about ideas or problems related to a given topic, such as medicine or business) 25drop out - p.v. to stop attending a school or university before you have completed your studies 26literacy - n. the ability to read and write 27charity - n. the act of giving money, food, or other kinds of help to people who are poor or sick 28global - adj. involving the entire world 29solar - adj. of or relating to the sun 30consequence(s) - n. something that happens as a result of a particular action or set of conditions 31access - n. a way of being able to use or get something 32exploitation - n. the act of using someone or something in a way that is unfair 33teenager(s) - n. someone who is between 13 and 19 years old 34apartment(s) - n. a usually rented room or set of rooms that is part of a building and is used as a place to live 35We want to hear from you. 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