From the covid-19 pandemic to the challenges of education for the future

Abstract

The pandemic has unleashed a series of calamities not only in the area of public health but also in the economic and political fields, generating worldwide crises. Remarkably, the poorest countries, including the Latin American and Caribbean ones, have suffered the most from covid-19 risks. Although these countries have tried to avert the troubles with their scarce resources, the consequences have been severe. After the negative impact on the healthcare sector and global economy, education is the institution that has suffered the most acute crisis and significant adverse effects. Nevertheless, this breaking point has also brought positive outcomes because it has challenged people, governments, and societies to create new paradigms that have become models of revolutionary changes for the future. In this sense, education will have to switch from a traditional model towards new teaching and learning proposals, such as hybrid or mixed education that combines in-person and virtual moments through ICT. In the quest for making this transformation or paradigm shift, the States' policies will also have to look for alternative solutions involving their budgets and the design of programs and technological tools required for providing education quality, taking advantage of digital and web-based resources.