Launching a new academic year under the cloud of COVID-19

The next few weeks mark the beginning of the school year across the northern hemisphere. Safety of students and teachers vis-à-vis COVID-19 spread is top priority. Learn how countries are planning for the reopening of schools. This is what they had to say.

Violence amid the pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on some of the biggest cracks in societies worldwide. While many governments are still grappling with surging cases, violence is fueling the crisis in some of the world’s most fragile environments.

Killer # 2: Millions of women and children may die or endure lifelong health impacts because of disruptions to essential health services and the reluctance by patients to seek care for fear of COVID-19 infection. A recent analysis examined the effects of service disruptions. The results are overwhelming.

Power of digital ID: As countries focus on “building back better” after the pandemic, they have a crucial opportunity to leapfrog to a more digital economy – and to do so responsibly. Whichever model they choose, governments can transform the lives of people everywhere by building digital ID systems designed to maximize privacy, inclusion, and trust.

Go deeper: Learn how the World Bank Group is responding to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Explore our multilingual portal. Click, bookmark and come back for updates.