The pandemic wiped out years of progress toward achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, the UN's blueprint for making the world a better place by 2030. There’s no way the deadline will be met at the current pace, which is why UN chief António Guterres has made UNGA 2022 all about rescuing the SDGs. COVID particularly hurt SDG No. 4 — to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all — because extended school lockdowns and unequal access to remote learning meant many kids learned less or nothing at all, which will lead to them having fewer opportunities as adults. What's more, the pandemic-fueled global education crisis has pushed down math and reading proficiency scores. Here's a snapshot of COVID’s impact and the current state of education around the world.
