Save our Education in West and Central Africa: Protect every child’s right to learn in the COVID-19 response and recovery

In early April, an estimated 128 million children in West and Central Africa were out of school as one of the collateral consequences of governments’ response to halt the spread of the COVID 19’ virus. Over this period, some countries have been demonstrating great leadership in providing continuous learning for children while schools remained closed. This pandemic has come on top of an existing learning crisis. In this context, COVID-19 further compounds these challenges and will result in millions more children being denied their basic right to learn.The poorest and most marginalized groups are at risk of never returning to school, with children instead at risk of forced child labour and/or child marriage. The price they will pay on their future will be long lasting. This is the biggest education emergency of our lifetime