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The GEM Report World Education Blog Podcast

The GEM Report World Education Blog Podcast

By GEM Report

This podcast is compiled from a blog hosted by the team working on the Global Education Monitoring Report (GEM Report), an editorially independent, authoritative and evidence-based annual report published by UNESCO. Its mandate is to monitor progress towards the education targets in the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework.
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Look after hidden out-of-school children in high income countries as schools reopen

The GEM Report World Education Blog PodcastApr 08, 2021

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05:51
“Nobody hears us” said a 17-year-old trans man about his experiences in school

“Nobody hears us” said a 17-year-old trans man about his experiences in school

Today on the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia the GEM Report has released a new policy paper, Don’t look away, jointly with The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Intersex Youth and Student Organisation (IGLYO) with new survey findings and analysis showing unacceptably high levels of discrimination and harassment in education.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/05/17/nobody-hears-us-said-a-17-year-old-trans-man-about-his-experiences-in-school/

May 17, 202104:49
What role can schools play to end violence and sexual harassment?

What role can schools play to end violence and sexual harassment?

When will it be safe for a woman to walk herself home at night without the threat of assault or worse by a man? And when do we arrive at the moment that all women are safe from their partners in their own homes? When will schools and workplaces be free of gender-based violence? How can we use the power of education to turn these norms around?

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/05/07/what-role-can-schools-play-to-end-violence-and-sexual-harassment/

May 07, 202107:25
Female science and mathematics teachers: Better than they think?

Female science and mathematics teachers: Better than they think?

More urgently than ever before, more girls and women are needed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In over two-thirds of education systems, less than 25% of students in engineering, manufacturing, construction, or information and communication technologies (ICT) are women. Yet STEM careers are growing in demand and needed to solve the current challenges facing the world, including the current COVID-19 crisis, climate change and food and water security.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/05/03/female-science-and-mathematics-teachers-better-than-they-think/

May 05, 202104:24
Accelerating the universal prohibition of corporal punishment in educational settings

Accelerating the universal prohibition of corporal punishment in educational settings

By Mehnaz Akber Aziz, Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, one of just eight women out of 342 directly elected members, and Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly, Executive Director, International Parliamentary Network for Education (IPNEd)

Physical violence or the prospect of it affects children in every country, community and culture around the world. Sadly, much of that violence occurs in educational settings at the hands of teachers and caregivers. Corporal punishment by school staff is not the only form of violence that children in educational settings are subject to, but it is a particularly egregious and harmful one.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/04/30/accelerating-the-universal-prohibition-of-corporal-punishment-in-educational-settings/

May 05, 202105:19
Children with disabilities can learn…and the pandemic should be no barrier!

Children with disabilities can learn…and the pandemic should be no barrier!

Khursaid, who lives in Nepal, is in the 4th grade. He can only see when using glasses and has been using them since he was two. During the lockdown, his glasses broke, and ever since he has had difficulty in performing everyday activities, particularly in doing school work. He has no access to internet and his mother just has a simple phone which is not suitable for distance learning.

His father lost his job, which has affected the household’s income. Currently, it is difficult to see how Khursaid will be able to remain in school without financial support to cover other school costs. His family may also need him to help earn an income, which is currently their biggest priority.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/05/05/children-with-disabilities-can-learnand-the-pandemic-should-be-no-barrier/

May 05, 202105:35
How to assess the education needs of internally displaced people in Ukraine and Georgia
Apr 29, 202104:55
Can universities survive the uncertainty of COVID-19?

Can universities survive the uncertainty of COVID-19?

The financial model that held up many of the world’s largest  universities is under threat. The pandemic has put the fees associated  with university degrees in question. Online courses are a far less  attractive – and less value for money – alternative to in-person  tuition. Many students may simply no longer afford the cost of a degree  if the pandemic has a long-term negative economic impact.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/04/27/can-universities-survive-the-uncertainty-of-covid-19/

Apr 29, 202105:57
Now this: vaccine requirements to go to university
Apr 26, 202106:05
Why the drive to inclusion depends on improving our understanding of the lives and work of teaching assistants

Why the drive to inclusion depends on improving our understanding of the lives and work of teaching assistants

Just last month the Singapore Government made a welcome announcement. From the second half of 2023, all pre-schools will have an inclusion coordinator.  This new role in schools will identify and provide support for children with developmental needs from the very early years.

This is much needed. According to the charity Serving People with Disabilities (SPD), 4,000 children in the country have been diagnosed with special developmental needs every year since 2015. Early identification of these developmental issues has the power to foster inclusion and help support a child with special needs to reach their full potential.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/04/21/why-the-drive-to-inclusion-depends-on-improving-our-understanding-of-the-lives-and-work-of-teaching-assistants/

Apr 21, 202106:46
Inclusion in early education in Singapore: towards more equitable foundations

Inclusion in early education in Singapore: towards more equitable foundations

Just last month the Singapore Government made a welcome announcement. From the second half of 2023, all pre-schools will have an inclusion coordinator.  This new role in schools will identify and provide support for children with developmental needs from the very early years.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/04/15/inclusion-in-early-education-in-singapore-towards-more-equitable-foundations/

Apr 15, 202104:34
Cancel exams? What is an appropriate response to the COVID-19 disruption?

Cancel exams? What is an appropriate response to the COVID-19 disruption?

‘Dear Government, please remember before deciding between offline and online exams that we’ll be able to vote next year ;)’, tweeted several students in India last week. In recent days, ‘cancelboardexams2021’ has been trending on Twitter in the country with almost a hundred thousand students signing a petition urging the government to either cancel board exams scheduled to be held  in May or conduct them in online mode because of the health risks  involved. This is just as COVID-19 cases are surging.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/04/13/cancel-exams-what-is-an-appropriate-response-to-the-covid-19-disruption/

Apr 15, 202104:38
We are proud of the first ever policy on inclusive education in Sierra Leone: the National Policy on Radical Inclusion in Schools

We are proud of the first ever policy on inclusive education in Sierra Leone: the National Policy on Radical Inclusion in Schools

By Dr David Moinina Sengeh, Minister of Basic and Senior  Secondary Education of Sierra Leone and Chair of the Advisory Board for  the GEM Report

I became the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education of  Sierra Leone in November 2019, just a few months before Covid-19  disrupted education systems around the world.  Sierra Leone is no  stranger to dealing with viruses. The lessons learnt during the deadly  2014 Ebola crisis helped the country address the current education  challenges more effectively. This time around, the virus has enabled us  to think further how to do things differently, particularly for children  who have been adversely affected, starting with building a more  inclusive and equitable education system. It inspired much of the  direction and content in our new inclusive education policy, validated  by education stakeholders and approved by the Cabinet of Sierra Leone.


This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/04/08/we-are-proud-of-the-first-ever-policy-on-inclusive-education-in-sierra-leone-the-national-policy-on-radical-inclusion-in-schools/

Apr 08, 202107:38
Look after hidden out-of-school children in high income countries as schools reopen

Look after hidden out-of-school children in high income countries as schools reopen

Europe is one of the worst hit regions by COVID-19. Schools remain closed in many countries. New closures have been announced in the last few days across France, and many schools are only partially open in Germany, Ireland, Italy and Portugal. It may be assumed that, relative to other countries, high-income countries will be quick to bounce back. But we should not forget that there were already many hidden out-of-school children in those countries before the pandemic.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/04/07/look-after-hidden-out-of-school-children-in-high-income-countries-as-schools-reopen/

Apr 08, 202105:51
Don’t forget about those who were not in school before the pandemic
Apr 07, 202106:20
Mission: Recovering Education 2021
Mar 30, 202107:37
In which countries do children attend single-sex schools?

In which countries do children attend single-sex schools?

While enrolment rates disaggregated by sex might be easy to find, comparative cross-country data on how many children are in single-sex schools are scarce. As another International Women’s Day passes us by, it seems fitting to also ask the question whether single-sex schools are beneficial or not; evidence on this front is mixed as well. What do we know?

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/03/29/in-which-countries-do-children-attend-single-sex-schools/

Mar 29, 202106:35
How will countries make up for lost learning during the pandemic?

How will countries make up for lost learning during the pandemic?

As one lockdown week morphs into another, the learning of millions of students continues to be disrupted. UNESCO figures show, on average, two-thirds of an academic year has been lost worldwide due to COVID-19 school closures. The learning loss is enormous. The question now in everyone’s mind is: How do we help students who have fallen behind to catch up?

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/03/25/how-will-countries-make-up-for-lost-learning-during-the-pandemic/

Mar 25, 202104:55
Latin American and Caribbean countries must address structural discrimination to create educational opportunities for all

Latin American and Caribbean countries must address structural discrimination to create educational opportunities for all

Latin America and the Caribbean is characterized by wide and persistent disparity by ethnicity. By most measures of well-being, including education, ethnic groups tend to fare worse than the rest of the population. The various forms of direct, indirect, and systemic discrimination have contributed to exacerbate inequalities and exclusion, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is celebrated on 21 March every year, we look at the exclusion of Afro-descendants and indigenous peoples in the region, and call for combating racism and ensuring educational opportunities for all.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/03/23/latin-american-and-caribbean-countries-must-address-structural-discrimination-to-create-educational-opportunities-for-all/

Mar 24, 202106:43
Climate strikes by school children, which erupted in 2019, continue
Mar 18, 202104:25
Gender bias can be seen in the way families spend their money on education
Mar 18, 202105:03