The Educational Divide

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Sophie Ho, Year 13, Wu House

Underneath the surface of a glamorised world, singing the benefits of globalisation and interconnectedness, lie preexisting inequalities entrenched in a society we no longer recognise. Propelled by political forces who seem to focus solely on financial gain, communities have been left with no choice but to succumb to the uncertainties of daily life, treading precariously on fragile ground. We have been rendered impotent against the risks of interdependence; as we wade through the inconstancy of COVID-19, more and more problems are brought to light.

Although COVID-19 has devastated the world in innumerable aspects, we must draw our attention towards the most extensive disruption of education of all time. Something that we have often taken for granted, simply glanced over as an institution, has been uprooted and tossed into an unrecognisable system of chaos. The impact of the pandemic on education systems has completely transcended geographical boundaries, affecting 1.6 billion students spanning 190 countries from all corners of the Earth.

Disparities, once hidden from the eye, have been unveiled and further exacerbated by learning losses, particularly in low-income or rural areas for the most vulnerable learners. Decades of progress have been reversed, especially for girls, an already vulnerable stakeholder in the past. Many are now more vulnerable to domestic violence and child marriage, whilst some are ultimately forced to drop out of school. The socio-economic resilience of refugees and forcibly displaced children have also been eroded by deprivation, reflected in their inability to access support services, including free school meals. Altogether, this has resulted in a lost generation of approximately 23.8 million additional children who may not have access to education next year. Figure 2 shows how the ability to respond to school closures varies according to the level of development: in the second quarter of 2020, while only 20% of children in primary education had been out of school in countries with very high human development, this number reached 86% in countries with low human development. Areas, such as the Sahel in Northern Africa, with unstable education systems due to climatic hazards and insecurity have been made worse through nationwide school closures. Students living in other places which lack basic infrastructure and electricity or contain low levels of digital literacy across the population are unable to gain connectivity to the Internet, let alone have the hardware needed for distance learning.

Therefore, an educational divide can be identified between countries of different economic development. Korea, a developed high-income country, transitioned successfully to virtual learning in just a few weeks after COVID-19 hit. This was aided by KMOOCs and a digitalised curriculum that was implemented from years before, along with collaborative efforts between large corporations and the education sector. Volunteer committees of teachers have also helped coordinate central offices

and train local teachers in online teaching platforms, along with the provision of free technology for families in need.

On the contrary, South Africa, recognised as the most unequal country in the world, suffered significantly from its bimodal education system. Children in the top 200 schools received a greater amount of distinctions in mathematics than children in the next 6,600 schools combined. While a small number of privileged children had access to some of the best education in the world, the rest faced an ailing system constrained by neverending cycles of poverty and inequity. As more privileged schools used digital resources to aid remote learning, the poorest schools had no choice but to take an absolute hiatus from formal learning, considering only 10.5% of South Africans had access to the Internet. The government had not even fulfilled standards for basic infrastructure; 3100 schools still had pit latrines at a learner to toilet ratio of 30:1, compromising not only each student’s education but also their health, privacy, and dignity.

The digital divide must be bridged to provide reliable and affordable Internet access for those who are cut off from the benefits of technology. Short-term solutions consist of the provision of take-home technologies, as well as the establishment of community centres. Alternatives must be assessed for those with disabilities who face barriers concerning access to equipment, such as implementing audio narration or sign language videos. Those who lack digital skills need to be provided with sufficient tools to adapt to the new modes of instruction; this could be done through a mixed approach of print materials or educational television.

Contrary to popular belief, universal access to the Internet is not a panacea. To reach the core of the problem, we must strengthen the resilience of education systems as a whole, with a holistic approach focusing on inclusion for all learners. We must make it a priority to ensure fair and equal access to quality education regardless of socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity, or disability.

However, this requires the fostering of stronger connections to engage stakeholders in education systems, encouraging both international and national cooperation at all levels. Everyone has to play their part: governments need to address vulnerabilities of marginalised groups, provide funding for the basic needs of deprived communities, and offer more support for the education sector; policymakers have to review existing policies and strive for better reform to mitigate future risks; national ministries should aim to change the correctional high-stakes accountability system, allowing greater flexibility in events of difficulty. Above all, support has to be provided for the most important education actors at the local level: our learners, teachers, and school staff. These people have all played a vital role in responding to COVID19, from analysing health risks, adapting the curriculum and taking on additional responsibilities. Therefore, to truly enhance the resilience of education systems, we must promote communication across all stakeholders and education actors to ensure effective implementation and assist the needs of learners across the world.

There is no better time for the reformation of education - we must act now.