This editorial paper presents 11 papers related to the special issue proposed by UNICEF on the Education Response to COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic provoked an education emergency of unprecedented scale. At its onset in February 2020, school closures were announced in the worst-hit countries. At the peak of the crisis, 90 per cent of learners worldwide had had their education disrupted. Some learners, especially those from the most marginalised population groups, were put at risk of permanent dropout, provoking long-term and significant negative effects on children’s life-long wellbeing and the socio-economic development of their communities and countries. This special issue, which received contributions from UNICEF staff and various researchers, focuses on the impact of school closures, the effectiveness of remote learning solutions, equity implications, the mitigation of learning loss and notions around re-opening better. Different research perspectives and evidence is gathered to help strengthen policy considerations and future planning. The conclusion emphasizes building on the innovative solutions generated by the response to the crisis to make education systems more resilient, whilst also reinforcing the focus on equity and inclusion so that pre-existing disparities are not exacerbated in the future.

Given the digital divide, use multiple delivery channels for remote learning. Of 127 countries reporting, 68 per cent use some combination of digital and non-digital approaches in their education responses to school closures (TV, radio and take-home packages). Strengthen support to the teachers, parents and caregivers delivering remote learning. Access to content is only the first step in remote learning. Countries are engaging and supporting caregivers to not only support learning at home, but also to provide children with psychosocial support and encourage their safe use of technology. Gather feedback and improve monitoring of reach and quality. Several countries are using various simple tools (SMS, U-Report, messaging apps) to gather quick feedback from parents and caregivers to improve remote learning. While some countries can monitor the use of digital platforms, understanding the take-up and effectiveness of non-digital channels that can reach more vulnerable children remains a challenge and requires innovative solutions. 1 Estimated percentage of students affected by COVID-19: https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse (as of 24 April 2020). CONTEXT The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on societies globally. To help contain the spread of the disease, schools around the world have closed, affecting 1.6 billion learners-approximately 91 per cent of the world's enrolled students. 1 Governments and education stakeholders have responded swiftly to continue children's learning, using various delivery channels including digital tools, TV/radio-based teaching and take-home packages for parent or caregiver-guided education. However, the massive scale of school closures caused by COVID-19 has laid bare the uneven distribution of the technology needed to facilitate remote learning. It has also highlighted the lack of preparedness and low resilience of systems to support teachers, facilitators and parents/caregivers in the successful and safe use of technology for learning. Using data on access to technology from household surveys (MICS and DHS) and information on national education responses to school closures gathered from UNICEF education staff in over 120 countries, this brief explores potential promising practices for equitable remote learning.

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