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This year, 900 million pre-primary to secondary students were set to return to school between August and October. According to UNESCO figures, however, only half of them – 433 million in 155 countries – will return to classrooms at this stage, the organization said in a released statement.

According to the source, one billion students, two-thirds of the global student population, face either school closures or uncertainty. The most vulnerable populations, particularly girls, are especially at risk.

UNESCO has underlined that for over half of the 900 million students starting the new academic year, schooling is expected to be entirely remote, or for some, a mix of distance or classroom learning. However, the majority of these learners and their families are still awaiting clear guidance about what to expect when the 2020-21 academic year begins, even though scheduled start dates are just weeks away.

This situation poses important problems given the persistent inequalities associated with distance learning, which affect vulnerable populations in particular.

“The educational crisis remains severe,” said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, the United Nations’ lead agency for education around the world. “Several generations are facing the threat of school closures, which concern hundreds of millions of students and have lasted many months. This is an emergency for global education.”