Weighing up the risks: School closure and reopeing under COVID-19— when, why, and what impacts?

This policy paper is aimed primarily at decision-makers (ministries of education, social welfare, and health and their associated partners) and reviews the impacts of school closures on children and youth’s holistic well-being, specifically in terms of education, protection, and health. It proposes that the decision-making process regarding school closure/reopening review a variety of risks, not just health risks.

This paper’s approach is based on the principles of ‘do no harm’ and the ‘best interests of the child’ (UNCRC, Article 3, 1989), which have been further defined in the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action and the INEE Minimum Standards for Education: Preparedness, Response, Recovery.