Japan: 50% young adults felt education gap during school closures over virus

Asia/ Japan/ 23.06.2020/ Source: english.kyodonews.net.

 

Over half of young adults in Japan said they felt there was a gap between the learning opportunities they had access to compared with those of other students in the wake of school closures caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to a recent survey.

The online survey, carried out by the Tokyo-based nonprofit organization Nippon Foundation, found 58.6 percent of respondents aged 17 to 19 felt there was an inequality in education during the pandemic, with some noting the lack of online classes in some schools during the closures.

In the May 26 to 28 survey that covered 1,000 people, some said there were huge discrepancies depending on location and cited the family situation of students, such as whether they had the means to secure the necessary equipment for online learning.

As to what concerned them about extended school closures, those who were worried about their studies accounted for the largest number at 37.4 percent, while for 20.3 percent it was communicating with friends. Respondents concerned about entrance exams for higher education or their employment prospects came to 17.8 percent.

In a section inviting any other comments, some wrote that they were hesitant about their first online classes, and that they were unable to make new friends since starting university.

In a multiple-answer question on potential solutions to making up delays in studies, the most cited measure at 52.5 percent was increasing online classes.

A total of 38.8 percent said schools should reduce the number of holidays, such as shortening the summer vacation, a move that a number of municipalities are considering or have decided to implement.

In the event of another school closure, 50.8 percent said schools should implement and maintain online classes.

«Despite being hesitant about their first virtual classes, they may be expecting this could eliminate inequality or delays in education caused by the spread of the virus,» the foundation said.

Source of the news: https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/06/a91eae9a8068-50-young-adults-felt-education-gap-during-school-closures-over-virus.html

Comparte este contenido:

How are countries addressing the Covid-19 challenges in education? A snapshot of policy measures

Gem Report/ By Gwang-Chol Chang and Satoko Yano, UNESCO’s Section of Education Policy

Close to 80% of the world’s student population – 1.3 billion children and youth – is affected by school closures in 138 countries. Taken as a measure to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, some of these closures are recent, in others they have already been in place for months. In all cases, closures are placing unprecedented challenges on governments to ensure learning continuity, and on teachers, students, caregivers and parents.

Image: Ivan Flores

UNESCO has been monitoring school closures since early March and documenting national responses, including through virtual ministerial meetings and webinars bringing together a community of practice.

This blog provides a snapshot of some of the measures taken by countries to address their immediate challenges. The information is based on various sources, including government announcements, official documents, decrees, circulars and guidelines available online, as well as media reports. As education is decentralized in many of the countries reviewed, the examples presented below may be implemented locally and not nation-wide – they are by no means exhaustive.

Countries have focused on ensuring continuation of learning

For all countries, avoiding the disruption of learning to the extent possible is the first priority. All countries are introducing or scaling up existing distance education modalities based on different mixes of technology. Most countries are using the internet, providing online platforms for continued learning (e.g., Argentina, Croatia, China, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and United States).

In almost all countries, teachers and school administrators are encouraged to use applications to support communication with learners and parents as well as deliver live lesson or record massive open online course (MOOC) styled lessons. Learning content is also delivered through TV and other media (e.g., Argentina, Croatia, China, Costa Rica, France, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Spain, Peru, Thailand, and Viet Nam). Existing apps are being employed to maintain communication between teachers and learners (e.g., Costa Rica, Islamic Republic of Iran and Thailand).

To communicate the plan of distance learning programmes and mobilize all stakeholders, government agencies are launching awareness campaigns or communication strategies on distance education for all targeted groups, including parents, students, teachers and administrators (e.g., United Arab Emirates). Saudi Arabia uses its official Twitter account to regularly disseminate the information on online learning.

Equity in access to ICT-based learning is a major concern, as learners from under-privileged backgrounds tend to have less access to computers and other devices outside the schools. In some cases, they live in areas with no electricity and poor or no internet connectivity.  Various actions are taken to address this challenge. For instance, China is providing computers to students from low-income families and offering mobile data packages and telecommunication subsidies for students. In France, efforts are being made to lend devices and provide printed assignments to the 5% of learners who do not have access to the internet or computers. To ease the disruption, the United Arab Emirates created a hotline for teachers and students to seek technical support if they face any difficulties. In Washington State, United States, the schools are not encouraged to provide online learning services unless equitable access is ensured. In Portugal, to tackle the fact that not all students may have access to internet at home, the government suggested a partnership with the post office services to deliver working sheets to be done at home.

Adjusting the school and exam calendar is a priority

Prolonged school closures are significantly affecting the school calendar in certain countries, in several cases coinciding with the period of university entrance exams. Several have rescheduled examinations and assessments for all levels of schooling, including universities (e.g., Chile, China, France, Japan, Spain and Viet Nam). China also provided some exams online. When exam dates cannot be changed, special arrangements (e.g., limited number of students who can take the exam at one time) have been introduced to ensure the safety of the exam-takers (e.g., Japan and Thailand). The school calendar is also being adjusted to accommodate lost days of learning (e.g., Spain, Republic of Korea and Viet Nam). In some cases in the United States all state testing has been cancelled for the 2019-2020 school year (e.g. Florida and Washington).

The school closure is also affecting the schedule for teacher training and teacher licensing. China has made some teacher training courses available online. In Japan, temporary teacher licenses are being issued, on a case-by-case basis, for teachers who could not participate in the license renewal training. In China, teacher qualification exams have been postponed. Administrative and teaching staff in the United Arab Emirates started receiving continuous specialized training remotely, using a new technological system for the first time. Chile has also adopted this initiative, sharing good practices with teaching staff and organizing webinars on teaching and administration online to those who most require digital skills training.

Ensuring access to nutritious meals is a major concern

Many children and youth, especially those coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, rely on free or discounted school meals for healthy nutrition. In Japan, families are receiving a refund for school fees while closures are underway and school lunches are being delivered to families in several school districts. Argentina and Washington State (United States) have also taken measures to continue school meal programmes despite closures.  California (United States) has allowed schools to provide meals on a “pick-up and go” basis, and some districts are allowing families to pick up meals in bulk so they don’t have to return daily. In China, measures are taken to guarantee continued food supply for students staying or under isolation at school. The Autonomous Community of Catalonia (Spain) is ensuring nutritious meals for vulnerable children by issuing redeemable credit cards for any commercial food establishment.

Alleviating the burden on parents and caregivers has emerged as a challenge

Distance and home learning invariably places a heavy burden on parents and caregivers. Many are struggling to support children in their new learning environment, often juggling between supervision, their own work and house chores. In China, online pedagogical support is provided to parents/caregivers. Italy is also offering them online courses on how to manage the relationship with learners during confinement. Similarly, in Spain diverse communication platforms and apps are available (e.g. Edugestio) through which teachers and parents/caregivers share and co-build the learning process. Some countries, like Guatemala, are providing teaching guidelines and learning materials to parents/caregivers to ensure the continuation of learning offline.

Countries are keeping a small number of schools open to accommodate children who cannot be cared for at home (e.g., France, Japan, and Republic of Korea). In countries where citizens are not put under home-based confinement, regular visits by teachers to families are also organized to monitor the progress and well-being of students and to advise parents/caregivers (e.g., Japan and Thailand).

Social isolation of children needs to be addressed

Schools are hubs of social activity and human interaction. When schools close, many children and youth miss out on social contact that is essential to learning and development. Online communication apps (e.g., WhatsApp) are used to ensure communication between teachers and students as well as among students in many countries (e.g., Thailand). Interactive online classes also provide opportunities for social interaction. In many countries, such as China, Japan, Spain and the United States, psychological assistance is provided for those in need, including a 24h hotline and monitoring calls to avoid the isolation feeling.

What’s next?

With the situation evolving day by day, countries are employing a multiplicity of approaches to minimize the impact of the pandemic on learning. As this snapshot illustrates, policies go beyond rolling out distance learning modalities. They encompass measures to address the social dimensions of this crisis, which is affecting the lives of children in a myriad of ways. Due to prolonged confinement, children are being separated from their peers and teachers and deprived of socializing activities, including sports.

As the confinement continues, it is critical to protect their well-being and mental health, and to increase support to families, teachers and caregivers. UNESCO will continue collecting, analyzing, and sharing policy measures being taken by countries but also encouraging and advising others who are less prepared for this exceptional period. Such cooperation will support Member States in making critical decisions to ensure learning continuity, guided by principles of equity and inclusion.

Fuente: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2020/03/24/how-are-countries-addressing-the-covid-19-challenges-in-education-a-snapshot-of-policy-measures/

Comparte este contenido:

UNESCO: National learning platforms and tools for emergencies coronavirus school closures

UNESCO

Algeria

  • ONEFD (link is external) – The National Bureau for Distance Education and Training (Office national d’éducation et de formation à distance) of the Ministry of Education provides online learning platforms in different subjects for all academic levels.

Argentina

Austria

  • BMBWF (link is external) – Website of the Austrian Ministry of Education, Science and Research dedicated to assist students and teachers with links, resources and information in support of distance learning.
  • Eduthek.at (link is external) – Resource portal of the Ministry with teaching materials for primary and secondary schools, sorted by subjects.

Azerbaijan

Bahrain

  • EduNET (link is external) – Provides various educational services for all school levels and enables communication between faculty members, students and parents. Functions include assignments, discussions, timetables, attendance tracking, school events and announcements.

Belgium

Brazil

Chile

China

Colombia

  • Colombiaaprende (link is external) – An online platform created by the Ministry of Education to support teachers, families and students in the process of e-learning in the current context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Costa Rica

  • Aprendo en casa (link is external) – A new strategy and platform created by the Ministry of Education that provides different digital resources in education from early childhood up to secondary schools.
  • Caja de herramientas (link is external) – Digital ‘toolbox’ for teachers for conducting distance learning classes created by the Ministry of Education.

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

Estonia

Finland

  • OPH.fi (link is external) – The new site of the Finnish National Agency for Education to answer the needs of students, teachers and families during the coronavirus outbreak.

France

  • Ma classe à la maison (link is external) – The Centre national d’enseignement à distance provides a virtual classroom system accessible via smartphones and computers. Enables teachers to facilitate the organization of distance learning.

Honduras

  • Educatrachos (link is external) –  Provides content, activities, tools and educational resources in different formats, designed to be used by teachers and students.

Hungary

  • Oktatas (link is external) – A collection of resources published by the Ministry of Education for online teaching and learning.

Indonesia

  • Rumah Belajar (link is external) – A platform providing learning content, learning management system for digital classroom and other resources that enable its users to interact, communicate online and organize distance learning activities.
  • SPADA (link is external) – An e-learning platform provided for free at the moment for students of tertiary education.

Ireland

  • Scoilnet (link is external) – The official portal for Irish education offering online resources to support schools, teachers, students and parents.
  • PDST (link is external) –  A distance learning platform and collection of resources for teachers in order to provide continuity to pupils/students during the health crisis.

Italy

  • Nuovo Coronavirus webpage (link is external) – The webpage of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education providing information and guidance for education practitioners and families on the education response to COVID-19.
  • INDIRE webinars (link is external) – National Institute for Documentation, Innovation and Educational Research (INDIRE)  platform providing webinars for teachers to support them in the adoption of distance learning methodologies and tools.

Iraq

Japan

Republic of Korea

Kuwait

Lebanon

  • MEHE (link is external) – Official learning application of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education with information for teachers and other education personnel.

Luxembourg

  • Multi-Script (link is external)– Provides digital teaching/learning materials for all types of schools in order to actively promote curriculum development.

Malta

Mexico

  • Aprende en casa por TV y en Línea (link is external) – A program launched by the Ministry of Public Education of Mexico that provides TV lessons and online resources to support learning a home. This programme will trans-mit preschool, primary, secondary and high school education content based on the Ministry of Public Education curricula.
  • Aprende 2.0 (link is external) – Resources of the Ministry of Public Education that seeks to promote the use of ICT to foster the development of digital skills.
  • TELEsecundaria (link is external) – Previously existing system of distance education programs for high school students in rural areas of the country.
  • Libros de texto (link is external) – Digital versions of all free textbooks to support learning at home.

Morocco

Norway

  • Feide (link is external) – The Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training and Uninett temporarily opened Feide for free, the national platform for a variety of digital services in education and research.

Panama

  • Educapanama (link is external)– Online courses by the Ministry of Education for pre-, primary and secondary school students to follow classes from a distance.

Paraguay

  • Tu escuela en casa (link is external) – Provides content, activities, tools and educational resources proposed by the Ministry of Education designed to be used by teachers and students.
  • Biblioteca Digital (link is external)– Provides a set of resources to support schools and teachers with educational
    materials and the possibility to design lessons directly in the platform.

Peru

Portugal

  • Apoio à Escolas (link is external)– Set of resources to support schools in the use of distance learning methodologies to enable them to continue teaching and learning processes.

Romania

  • Proedus (link is external) – A site containing video courses for preschoolers and primary school students created by the Center for Educational and Sports Projects Bucharest.
  • Telescoala (link is external) – Dedicated site of the Romanian national tv to educational programs for 8th, 12th and 13th grades to prepare them for national exams.

Singapore

Slovakia

  • ucimenadialku.sk (link is external) – a website created by the Ministry of Education, containing webinars, online les-sons, recommendations for teachers, professional staff and parents.
  • Viki (link is external) – a portal of educational contents divided by subject area launched by the Ministry of Education.

Slovenia

  • SIO (link is external) – National portal for up-to-date information services, a training catalogue, an e-material reposito-ry and technical content support for primary and secondary level students and teachers.

Spain

  • INTEF (link is external) –Ministry of Education pedagogical resources to support distance learning.
  • Procomún (link is external) – A collection of close to a 100,000 educational resources and learning objects in different formats created by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science with contributors of the educational community.
  • Educlan (link is external) – An online channel supported by the Ministry of Education that presents educational resources during the period of suspension of classes because of the coronavirus.

Switzerland

  • Eduport.ch (link is external) – Joint website of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation and the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education with information, links and resources in support of distance learning.

Thailand

  • Digital Learning Centre (link is external) – an online learning platform developed by the Office of Private Education Commission (OPEC) to provide education via internet connection to the general public and all elemen-tary and secondary students nationwide during the coronavirus outbreak.

Turkey

  • Remote Educational System (link is external) – The Ministry of National Education will launch a “remote educational system” free of charge on March 23 2020 with a television and internet-based curriculum on a national scale. Some online resources and applications are already available on the Ministry’s website.

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

  • MOE Library (link is external) – A platform established by The Ministry of Education allowing teachers and students to view and interact with the learning curriculum electronically and download electronic copies of books.

Uruguay

  • Plan Ceibal (link is external)– Resources for teachers and students that are accessible from any device, as well as remote programs, which help mitigate the effects of the suspension of educational activities due to temporary closure of educational centers.

Uzbekistan

  • UZEDU (link is external) – A collection of resources by the Ministry of Public Education to facilitate learning during school closures.

UNRWA

Resources collected by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency mainly for students in Jordan, Lebanon, Gaza, Syria and the West Bank.
Interactive Learning Programme (link is external) – an app designed for Grades 1-9.
UNRWA TV – provides educational lessons in Arabic, English, mathematics and science for Grades 4-9.
On how to use the resources:
–    Arabic (link is external) and English (link is external) Guidelines for parents
–    Arabic (link is external)and English (link is external) Guidelines for teachers

 

Fuente: https://en.unesco.org/themes/education-emergencies/coronavirus-school-closures/nationalresponses

Comparte este contenido:

Coronavirus: could education systems have been better prepared?

GEM REPORT

The world was caught by surprise with the global pandemic emergency. But was it entirely unexpected? Pandemics have always been a likelihood. A pandemic has occurred every 10-50 years for the past centuries. In any given year, a 1% probability exists of an influenza pandemic that causes nearly 6 million pneumonia and influenza deaths or more globally. This translates into a 25% likelihood of such a pandemic over 30 years, and that’s just influenza.

It’s not ‘if’ a pandemic occurs, therefore, but ‘when’. ‘In order to mitigate human and financial losses as a result of future global pandemics, we must plan now’ was the call of experts in 2016 in the immediate aftermath of the Ebola virus epidemic in western Africa and the international organizations’ admission of the response having been slow. In this latest major and unfolding crisis, the emphasis has been on different health systems’ responses. But could education systems have been better prepared?

Pandemics needs to be factored into education planning, as much as in other sectors. Closing schools during disease outbreaks should not be taken lightly. As the 2020 GEM Report will tell us, schools are often the location not just for education but also for school meals or health interventions. But, according to the World Health Organisation, ‘under ideal conditions, school closure can reduce the demand for health care by an estimated 30-50% at the peak of the pandemic’.  Clearly, then, with the risk of a pandemic striking, education planners need to be prepared for a stint of interrupted education.

Faced with the coronavirus, as UNESCO reports on a daily basis, as of today, 113 countries have sent children home from school, 102 of which have closed schools nationwide, with an estimated 849 million children and youth out of school. There are three periods to consider for school preparedness: in normal times, during the crisis, and after the crisis.

Screenshot 2020-03-18 at 14.19.37

It is now clear that more time needs to be used to prepare teachers and systems. At the most basic level, teachers need to be prepared to deliver clear information to parents and educate children, especially the youngest ones, about hygiene management. These lessons are not only for times of crisis. Curricula based on the guidelines of the World Health Organisation’s Global School Health Initiative help students understand a potential health problem, its consequences and the types of actions required to address and prevent it. Analysis of 78 national curricula for the 2016 GEM Report, for instance, showed that between 2005 and 2015 barely one in ten countries addressed the links between global and local thinking. How long, then, until teaching also includes imparting vital lessons about disease prevention and mitigation?

Training for teachers currently assumes that lessons will be delivered in classrooms. In Quebec and elsewhere, questions are asked why ministries of education had no plan in place for the eventuality of distance teaching. If today’s events teach us one thing, it is that investment in online teaching infrastructure and teacher training to use such facilities are fundamental.

Being better prepared would also help teachers cope mentally – and help their students too. It is testament to teachers’ huge dedication to their profession that many are still risking their own health by continuing to teach the children of vital health-workers in many countries in Europe at present.

When schools close, school preparedness entails maximising the potential of online learning. Aside from schools, universities are closing too, of course, calling on professors to switch to online teaching. Just like their students, many educators are not excited by the prospect.

Reluctant some may be, but teaching is going to have to adapt to alternative scenarios. More emphasis may have to be placed on students having the tools to learn on their own and being curious to continue learning. Skype classes with 30 students even in the best resourced classrooms are challenging. New ways of working will need to be found. The longer this pandemic continues, the more likely innovative solutions may arise to meet the needs.

UNESCO organised a videoconference with ministers and their representatives from over 70 countries on 10 March about this issue, creating a crisis group from amongst them to support each other. It also pulled together a list of educational applications and platforms to help distance learning, most of which are free, and several of which support multiple languages. These include digital learning management systems like Google Classroom, which connects classes remotely, self-directed learning content, such as Byju’s, which has large repositories of educational content tailored for different grades and levels, mobile reading applications, and platforms that support live-video communication. Other online hubs for university education, such as this remarkable list of online resources in the United States, are rapidly being assembled to support educators deal with the change.

But the biggest concern is the availability of technology. Inequalities in access can further inflame inequalities in education. For so many families, device and internet availability are not options. Most education systems and schools lack knowledge on which students face such obstacles. Better preparation would entail knowing who has what access from home, and tailored responses for each. Argentina’s programme, Seguimos Educando, has been set up to respond to Covid-19. It is a multimedia education platform, providing education content and advice, which, thanks to partnerships with telephone companies, guarantees online access without cost, and with no data consumption so that all children can benefit, no matter their background. We can also learn a lot from countries that have experience of educating students in remote areas. In Western Australia, parents can home-school their children with the support of the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education, established to educate children in remote areas.

So far school closures have affected richer countries where at least using the internet for education is a real possibility. In poorer countries, which lack access to electricity altogether, low-technology approaches, whose use had weakened over the years, will need to be revisited. Kenya, for instance, runs lessons for primary and secondary school by radio. In Sierra Leone, during the Ebola outbreak, education programmes were broadcast over the radio five days a week in 30-minute sessions, with listeners able to call in with questions at the end of each session. This approach helped maintain learning despite complications by regional accents and dialects, poor radio signal coverage, and a shortage of radios and batteries.

Finally, there is the question whether available online resources reflect the curriculum and ensure teaching and learning continues smoothly when schools open again. Lists can be drawn up and sent to parents and students, but learning acquired during this period may not be reflected in assessments. What happens if students have to repeat a year? What are the future implications on their education after this much interrupted learning? There are no answers to these questions, yet.

Adjusting education systems to factor in disaster preparedness is not new. It is already seen in many countries facing earthquakes, tsunamis or cyclones, for instance, but also in the context of climate change. In short, while we do not want to admit it to ourselves, a pandemic is a likelihood we should all have been expecting more than we did. Education systems, like many other sectors right now, are turning in circles to adapt to the crisis. Their responsiveness in many cases is admirable but will need to be more effective in the future, based on a pre-existing, thought-through and evidence-based plan.

Comparte este contenido:

Coronavirus: education officials to discuss possible school closures in England

By: Sally Weale.

Teaching unions and school leaders are to hold talks with the education secretary, Gavin Williamson, on Monday to discuss plans for schools and colleges in England as they start to negotiate the impact of the growing coronavirus emergency.

The government has until now resisted pressure to close schools as other countries have done, but there is mounting concern in the sector about how schools will continue to function with growing numbers of staff required to self-isolate.

The education secretary is also expected to address concerns about potential disruption to GCSEs and A-levels this summer, amid calls from some to delay examinations until September or even postpone until 2021, which could result in pupils having to repeat the current year.

School leaders are also expected to raise concerns about the impact of any potential closures on children in poverty and those who are vulnerable and depend on school for food and security. They will also call for all inspections by Ofsted to be cancelled to allow headteachers to focus on the current emergency.

Before the meeting with teachers’ leaders, the government issued updated guidance to schools reiterating its recommendation that they should remain open. The guidance acknowledged, however, that some could be forced to close if too many staff had to self-isolate, causing “operational issues”.

The guidance, published by the Department for Education and Public Health England, advises that pupils and staff who develop a continuous cough or fever at school should be sent home. Children who become unwell at school should be isolated while they wait to be collected, ideally in a room behind a closed door with an open window and separate bathroom where possible.

Staff dealing with suspected cases of Covid-19 do not need to go home unless they develop symptoms themselves. In most cases, closure would not be needed, the guidance says. “If there is an urgent public health action to take, the educational setting will be contacted by the local Public Health England protection team who will undertake a risk assessment and advise on any actions or precautions that should be taken.

“PHE will rarely advise a school to close but this may be necessary if there are so many staff being isolated that the school has operational issues.”

Among those due to attend the meeting is Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers. Speaking before the talks, he said: “School leaders are obviously concerned about the impact on exams and assessments but right now their main priority is keeping children safe.

“It’s important that we all work together to do the maximum we can. We will be working jointly with the secretary of state to establish a credible plan for schools and colleges in the coming weeks.

“We will use the meeting to bring some clarity and direction. Vulnerable children and families are uppermost in our minds. For some children a day at school is a place of sanctuary and nourishment as well as a place of education.”

Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, who is also due to attend the meeting, added: “The concerns we will be raising with him are the challenges of keeping open schools and colleges when a growing number of staff are away from work because they are self-isolating; the potential for disruption to GCSE and A-levels and what contingencies will be put in place; and how we ensure children in poverty do not go hungry and that vulnerable young people are safeguarded if schools are closed.

“We aim to work through these issues in order to arrive at constructive solutions about the way ahead. School and college leaders are showing calm and assured leadership in these difficult times and we can reassure the public that everything that can be done to support young people will be done.

On Sunday, Hamid Patel, the chief executive of Star Academies, which runs a string of outstanding state schools in London, Birmingham, Manchester and other cities, called on the government to “do the unthinkable” and postpone this summer’s exams immediately, along with Sats tests to be taken by England’s primary school pupils, to save lives during the peak infection period of May to June.

“Cancellation is the only sensible and humane option. It will go a long way to ensure the success of the ‘delay’ phase of the government’s strategy. It could save tens of thousands of lives because it will ensure good decision-making, and good decision-making by individuals is central to how we manage this crisis,” Patel said in a comment piece published by the Guardian.

The Department for Education confirmed the meeting was taking place, but made no further comment.

Source of the article: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/mar/16/coronavirus-education-officials-to-discuss-possible-school-closures-in-england

Comparte este contenido:

Japan rethinks work culture as coronavirus spurs school closures

Asia/ Japan/ 03.03.2020/ Source: asia.nikkei.com.

School closures mean companies must be more flexible for working parents

Companies in Japan are scrambling to accommodate working parents after nationwide school closures aimed at fighting the coronavirus went into effect on Monday, just days after the move was announced.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday called for schools across Japan to remain closed until the start of the new term in April in order to help fight the spread of the coronavirus. In a country known for its long working hours, shuttering schools means depriving many families of much-needed child care services.

Companies have responded with a number of measures, including shorter business hours, teleworking and flexible working times — all measures that the government has been trying to promote for years to modernize the country’s work culture and address such issues as overwork-related deaths.

The question is whether these changes will stick after the crisis has passed.

Life Corp., the nation’s largest supermarket chain, has shortened operating hours at all of its 280 or so stores. Starting Monday, doors open at 10 a.m. instead of 9 a.m. at all stores, while 86 stores are expected to close an hour or two earlier than the usual 9:30 p.m.

Life supermarkets employ many women who work part-time while raising children, and the school shutdowns are expected create personnel shortage, a Life official said.

Labor shortages are a chronic issue in Japan, and the coronavirus has already exacerbated the issue.

The restaurant and retail sectors also depend heavily on part-time labor. Zensho Holdings, which operates the Sukiya chain of beef bowl restaurants, will cut hours at or even close certain locations, in addition to streamlining its menus.

Odakyu Department Store, meanwhile, will close its Shinjuku and Machida locations at 7:30 p.m. daily from Monday through March 22. Normally, certain floors had stayed open until 10:30 p.m.

Tokyu Department Store will reduce its hours at four sites until March 18 at the latest. Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores will shorten its operating time by one to three hours through March 17. Electronics retailer K’s Holdings will lop one to two hours off its usual schedule at half of its 500 or so stores across Japan until March 19.

Sapporo Holdings, a major drinks company, encouraged 1,500 of its domestic employees, including those in delivery and logistics, to work from home from Monday to March 13. The company spokesperson, who said he was in the middle of teleconferencing from home, told Nikkei that telecommuting was «working fine.» He added, however, that some employees in logistics went to work as usual on Monday, as did all factory workers.

While companies scramble to adapt to the abrupt government announcement, some experts see an opportunity to improve conditions for working mothers and push the government’s work-style reform further.

Schoolchildren in Osaka are informed on Feb. 28 that classes will be cancelled starting the following Monday. (Photo by Tomoki Mera)

«The nationwide school closure will give the parents a chance to think about how to take time off work instead of just focusing on staying in the office,» said Yasuyuki Tokukura, who runs a nonprofit promoting work-style reform.

In 2018, the Abe government enacted work reform legislation that requires employers to ensure their employees take paid holiday and also sets a limit on overtime and gives more protection to non-regular employees through an «equal pay for equal work» provision.

In January, Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, a rising political star who previously served as labor minister, became the first male cabinet minister to take paid parental leave to help care for his first child.

Revamping Japan’s work culture has been a long-simmering problem, but the country’s severe labor shortages are prompting businesses to press ahead. Convenience store chains such as Seven-Eleven Japan have started changing their 24/7 operations, giving franchisees the option of close stores during late night and early morning, for instance.

The increase in typhoons and other natural disasters in recent years has also encouraged some businesses to embrace teleworking as a way to deal with emergency situations.

Teleworking is also being promoted as a way to reduce congestion during the upcoming Summer Olympic Games Tokyo. Last July, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government launched a campaign asking businesses to implement telework as a trial run for the Summer Olympics. More than 600,000 workers estimated to have participated in the campaign.

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike made teleworking a feature in her vision for the city unveiled last year.

So far, however, progress on introducing a more flexible working style has remained limited. Last summer, the number of passengers on public transportation dropped only 4.3% in Tokyo during a campaign to reduce commuting.

The widespread school closures could improve the situation by forcing more companies to get on board with the government’s reform push — but what suits Tokyo may not work everywhere.

Manufacturers in particular have responded more coolly to Abe’s initiative, arguing that it is not suited to non-service industries like theirs.

Ota city in Gunma Prefecture, north of Tokyo, decided not to close its primary schools. The city is home to several factories, including those for carmaker Subaru. «People complained [to the municipal government] that they cannot take days off of work,» said Takahashi Yoshiya, who is in charge of school education in Ota. «Tokyo’s model for telework probably does not fit the rest of Japan,» he said.

Source of the notice: https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Japan-rethinks-work-culture-as-coronavirus-spurs-school-closures

Comparte este contenido: