The global health pandemic has provided a clear picture of existing inequalities — and a clearer picture of what steps we need to take towards making the world a better place. The top-most among them is addressing the education of more than 1.5 billion students whose learning has been hampered due to school closure.

Choices must be made based on a humanistic vision of education and development and human rights frameworks. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides many of the necessary signposts and guidelines. In the report, the International Commission of the Futures of Education — established by UNESCO in 2019 — presents nine key ideas for navigating through the COVID-19 crisis and its aftermath, contending that we cannot forget our core principles and known strengths as we face unprecedented disruptions to economies, societies and in particular focus here, education systems.

The nine ideas for public action that the report is organised around invite debate, engagement and action by government authorities, educational professionals, researchers and learners of all ages and societies as a whole.