According to UNICEF (United Nations Children Emergency Fund) , only One in Three 10-year- olds globally can read and understand a simple story.

Prolonged school closures and a lack of access to quality learning during the COVID-19 pandemic exposed and exacerbated a pre-existing learning crisis that has left millions of schoolchildren worldwide without foundational numeracy and literacy skills, UNICEF warns.

Another UNICEF report titled ‘Solving the Equation’ shows that girls worldwide are lagging behind boys in mathematics — with sexism and gender stereotypes held by teachers, parents and peers regarding girls' abilities.

Children learn best when they are healthy and well-nourished: findings in this report show that the odds of reaching minimum mathematics proficiency increase when students do not arrive at school feeling hungry or tired. Supporting children’s learning and overall well-being requires collaboration across sectors, including education, health, nutrition, and child protection

“Under-resourced schools, underpaid and under-qualified teachers, over-crowded classrooms and archaic curricula are undermining our children’s ability to reach their full potential,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said. “The trajectory of our education systems is, by definition, the trajectory of our future. We need to reverse current trend lines or face the consequences of a failing to educate an entire generation. Low levels of learning today mean less opportunity tomorrow.”

UNICEF supports the ‘RAPID’ framework for addressing the learning crisis

•Reach and retain every child in school

• Assess learning levels

• Prioritise teaching the fundamentals

•Increase catch-up learning and progress beyond what was lost

•Develop psychosocial health and well-being so every child is ready to learn

How will our future generations handle financial, mental,climate crisis, the GDP, their new generations and everything around them without the ability of reading and understanding?