The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted
on education systems the world over.
Millions of students have been affected
by school closures at some point over the
past 18 months, and this situation is likely
to persist in many countries through late
2021 and 2022. Learning loss is a reality for
many, and the longer children stay out of
school, the less likely they are to catch up
with age-appropriate learning targets or
even return to the classroom.
The pandemic demonstrated how digital
technologies are making the world more
interconnected and interdependent than
ever before, but also revealed a deep divide
between those with access to online services
and learning spaces and those who are
digitally excluded. In education systems
that were not digitally mature, the overnight
shift to remote teaching and learning has
heightened educational inequalities and
has had other harmful impacts including
increased student isolation, less professional
autonomy for teachers, and a shift from
publicly provided to commercial and privately
controlled educational spaces and content.
Sustainable hybrid learning systems should
be inclusive, generating value through
contextualized and open educational
resources.