Education: From COVID-19 school closures to recovery

After the historic disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, most schools are back open worldwide but education is still in recovery assessing the damage done and lessons learned. Education: The pandemic affected more than 1.6 billion students and youth globally, with the most vulnerable learners being hit hardest. Some gains already made towards the goals of the 2030 Education Agenda were lost. 

From the outset UNESCO's Education Sector worked with ministries of education, public and private partners and civil society to ensure continued learning for all children and youth. The Sector's work is now focused on prioritizing education as a public good for everyone in order to avoid a generational catastrophe and drive sustainable recovery. 

• Read more on UNESCO's initiatives during and after the pandemic

Throughout the pandemic, in close cooperation with ministers of education, UNESCO monitored the evolution of school closures around the world. Data presented in the interactive map show the evolution from February 2020 to June 2022. Download the data here.