UNICEF delivers laptops and other key equipment to ensure continued learning during the COVID-19 pandemic to the Ministry of Education

UNICEF has delivered 420 laptops, surface disinfectants, and literacy materials to the Government of Maldives to enhance the capacity of the Ministry of Education in reopening schools in 2021 during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The impact of the global pandemic on children’s lives has been disruptive, as school systems across the world shut down during lockdown and teachers moved to online platforms to ensure continuity of learning for children. As the Ministry of Education has worked tirelessly to continue learning, one of the key challenges faced especially by teachers is the limited resources.

The 420 laptops, worth MVR 5.6 million and procured through the Global Partnership for Education - Accelerated Funding for COVID-19, will alleviate the problem of resources faced by schools, ensuring teachers have access to the teaching-learning devices to ensure continuous learning through distance learning.  The Global Partnership for Education has provided MVR 11.6 million through UNICEF, for the COVID-19 Education response.

UNICEF has also supplied over 2,000 units of surface disinfectants, worth over MVR 771,000, financed through a grant by USAID to UNICEF, to support the efforts of the Ministry of Education to safely reopen schools in 2020 and 2021. Additionally, the donation of Dhivehi literacy materials by UNICEF, worth over MVR 763,000 will help improve the literacy of pre-primary and primary students across the country.

UNICEF Representative Dr. M. Munir A. Safieldin stated that the “Dhivehi reading materials are very important for students in primary schools, as they are not only easy-to-ready, but easy-to-read materials in their mother tongue, especially since school libraries need more books in Dhivehi”.

The consequences and impact of COVID-19 go far beyond public health risks associated with a pandemic. From what is observed globally, and, in the Maldives, national recovery efforts need to consider the various but interconnected socioeconomic impacts such as limited access to essential services such as learning and health services as well as mental health issues faced by children and adults.