As a consequence of both the political turmoil in late 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic, kindergarten children in Hong Kong were unable to attend school for three years. Various class resumption plans were developed from time to time. Overall, kindergarten children had in-person classes for only 103 days in the 2019-20 year and 174 days in the…

Children are powerful agents of change when given the chance to succeed. However, due to protracted crises and natural disasters, an estimated 33 million children have been forcibly displaced worldwide and denied their childhoods and an opportunity to reach their full potential. Psychosocial support is key to bridging the learning gap that…

Learning Undefeated is a nationwide nonprofit organization committed to providing equitable access to STEM education for under-resourced communities. Their approach is experimental and entrepreneurial, blending lessons from both education and business to develop content that is current and exciting. This article examines how the organization…

In the United States, students from marginalized backgrounds historically have had gaps in their access to education, thus affecting success and overall achievement. In an attempt to address these educational gaps, researchers, school districts, and government officials have been working to provide resources for those in communities with low…

Despite incredible advances of humanity, inequality, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, remains an unresolved issue at a global level. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), established in 2000 by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, seek to address those inequities through a series of objectives to be reached by the…

The pandemic unquestionably challenged the education world during 2020. In spite of the difficulties, however, there are reasons to be optimistic. Around the world, educators are gathering the tools, attitudes, and evidence needed to bring about long-needed education reforms, at a faster pace. The Yidan Prize Foundation is focused on the big ideas…

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools in 2020, the effect on rural areas was significant. Access to the internet in rural areas is limited and cost prohibitive. This article discusses why we must find ways to ensure education delivery in urban and rural areas. Unfortunately, many school systems in developing countries lack the expertise and…

While the COVID-19 vaccines bring hope about the end of pandemic-related closures, leaders worldwide recognize that a fundamental shift has occurred in the way we work, live, and learn. Though we will always need brick-and-mortar schools, our "new normal" must include hybrid and virtual education options for students who do not have…

Despite the wealth of evidence that early learning opportunities are crucial for young children in crisis, little evidence shows a commensurate commitment to early childhood development (ECD) provision in refugee and humanitarian programming. The Kyaka II refugee settlement in Uganda is a case in point. Home to over 125,000 Congolese refugees,…

The benefits of early childhood education are well known, but access to quality programs is a challenge for children living in marginalized communities. Mobile Creches (MC), a non-profit nongovernmental organization based in Delhi, India, pursues the mission to ensure all young children, especially the most vulnerable children, have access to the…

Early childhood care and education provide the underpinning of high-quality basic education. While it is indisputable that the family and home environment are critical to children's development, education programs outside the home provide children with the basic cognitive and language skills they need to succeed in school. Early childhood…

As COVID-19 spread across the globe, schools shuttered their doors and millions of students and teachers shifted to remote learning. This situation created significant challenges with regard to maintaining continuity, quality, and equity in education. At the same time, the very nature of the pandemic itself underscores the critical need to engage…

A daunting challenge is affecting education in many areas of the world. Globally, education standards are suffering due to a major crisis in training and support for teachers. In low-income countries, efforts to raise pupil enrollment have been successful; however, lack of focus and policy direction around teacher quality means the majority of…