The COVID-19 situation has impacted many sectors, including the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) as well as education sectors.
It is estimated that, globally, 1.12 billion school children are staying home with a high number of children not continuing their education online. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 outbreak has been addressed and controlled in some countries, and a gradual reopening of workplaces, public places and schools have been announced in these countries.
To ensure that the proper precautions continue to take place, UN organizations and their partners have developed and shared guidelines and checklists to support the reopening of schools.
This Mini International Learning Exchange (Mini-ILE) has been organized to help countries prepare for the reopening of schools, with a focus on WASH and infection, prevention and control (IPC) interventions. The Mini-ILE is planned as a 3-hour session, gathering participants from all the 14 countries in the East Asia and Pacific region including government partners and their development partners, civil society organizations, academia and different partners including the private sector. Participants from other regions are welcomed as observers.
Aims of the Mini-ILE:
The main purpose of the Mini-ILE was to share existing good practices, information and materials available to support countries in the process of reopening schools or currently facing challenges in school re-openings. Evidence-based data and information on COVID-19 infection, prevention and control and WASH response plans will be introduced and discussed. Countries will be given the opportunity to exchange experiences, plans and challenges.
ILE Overview
The Programme of the Mini-ILE can be found here.
The report of the Mini-ILE (2021) can be found here.
PLENARY SESSIONS:
1. Keynote from the education sector: Impact of COVID-19 on Education
2. COVID-19 Control Strategies for Opening Schools
3. WASH in Schools (WinS) interventions – guidance for reopening of schools
4. Cost Estimation WinS interventions for Reopening of Schools (Country example Vietnam)
BREAKOUT SESSIONS:
Breakout Session 1, country presentations: Philippines and Timor Leste
Breakout Session 2, country presentations: Myanmar, Papua New Guinea (coming soon), Lao PDR
Breakout Session 3, country presentations: Cambodia, China, DPRK (coming soon)
Breakout Session 4, country presentations: Indonesia, Fiji (coming soon) and Vietnam
Breakout Session 5, for international observers from non-EAPRO countries:
- Status of Education under COVID-19
- Role of NGOs to support governments:
- WinS challenges on reopening of schools and ways to address them
CLOSING SESSION:
Wrap-Up of the Mini ILE
Additional Resources:
- 10 immediate WASH in schools (WinS) actions - For School Heads to manage the response to COVID-19 (different languages)
- Knowledge Map: WASH in Schools and Coronavirus
- WASH in Schools Checklist to Manage COVID-19 Response
