UNESCO learning cities' responses to COVID-19
When the COVID-19 global pandemic hit in 2020, governments around the world temporarily closed educational institutions in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus. But how did learning continue for young and old during this time?
The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) called on its network of 229 UNESCO learning cities to provide insights into their particular handling of the situation. During a UIL webinar series in 2020, they jointly developed strategies and exchanged information about good practices to ensure that learning did not stop.
In our new publication Snapshots of learning cities’ responses to COVID-19, we showcase local responses to COVID-19. The UNESCO learning city of Goyang, Republic of Korea, provided one of them.
The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) called on its network of 229 UNESCO learning cities to provide insights into their particular handling of the situation. During a UIL webinar series in 2020, they jointly developed strategies and exchanged information about good practices to ensure that learning did not stop.
In our new publication Snapshots of learning cities’ responses to COVID-19, we showcase local responses to COVID-19. The UNESCO learning city of Goyang, Republic of Korea, provided one of them.
Goyang, Republic of Korea
The COVID-19 recovery strategy in Goyang, part of the Gyeonggi Province in the Republic of Korea, aims to transform the city into one that encourages ‘distancing in daily life’. This concept comes in the wake of the impact that the COVID-19 crisis had on the local community, small businesses, and the mental health and social lives of the city’s inhabitants.
Adapting daily life
With Goyang’s educational and leisure facilities now open once again, the municipal government is looking at ways to adapt daily life in a way that acknowledges people’s experiences of coping with the pandemic.
The recovery strategy was developed to carry out immediate actions aimed at supporting urgent needs, establish projects for the recovery of the city in the short to middle term, and detail long-term actions expected to bring benefits to the city beyond COVID-19.
The recovery strategy was developed to carry out immediate actions aimed at supporting urgent needs, establish projects for the recovery of the city in the short to middle term, and detail long-term actions expected to bring benefits to the city beyond COVID-19.
Health and safety for students and teachers
Step one of Goyang’s strategy concerned the gradual reopening of schools, which called for additional staff and increased hygiene measures (i.e. enhanced cleaning, hand hygiene stations, etc.) to ensure the health and safety of students and teachers.
In addition, over 140 thermal-imaging cameras to detect people’s temperatures were installed in cooperation with the Goyang Office of Education, and almost 70,000 masks and thousands of antiseptic cleansers were provided.
In addition, over 140 thermal-imaging cameras to detect people’s temperatures were installed in cooperation with the Goyang Office of Education, and almost 70,000 masks and thousands of antiseptic cleansers were provided.
Lee Jae-junMayor of the UNESCO learning city of Goyang
Financial and employment support
All 1.07 million Goyang citizens also received around USD 500 from the government, which also delegated an emergency fund to support vulnerable groups and provided tax support (e.g. tax reductions and deferrals) for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
This was complemented by the ‘Goyang Part-Time 6000 with Hope’ project, which aims to create over 6,000 jobs to not only respond to the current unemployment crisis, but also support the recovery strategy.
This was complemented by the ‘Goyang Part-Time 6000 with Hope’ project, which aims to create over 6,000 jobs to not only respond to the current unemployment crisis, but also support the recovery strategy.
Challenges: policies and stakeholders
Policies alone, albeit concerning the public sector, cannot respond to this crisis: solidarity, empathy, and cooperation across sectors (including the education and socio-economic sectors and civil society organizations) are essential and must be reinforced.
One of the main challenges to the recovery of Goyang, however, is a disconnect between local stakeholders.
One of the main challenges to the recovery of Goyang, however, is a disconnect between local stakeholders.
Challenges: Wellbeing and human rights
Another challenge relates to finding ways to overcome the disruption to social life brought by the pandemic and the effect it has had on citizens’ well-being.
Lastly, there is a need to come up with public surveillance and control measures that respond to crises while safeguarding individual human rights. The Goyang government intends to secure funds to implement policies to address these challenges.
Lastly, there is a need to come up with public surveillance and control measures that respond to crises while safeguarding individual human rights. The Goyang government intends to secure funds to implement policies to address these challenges.
Learn more!
UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities
The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) supports and improves the practice of lifelong learning in member cities by promoting policy dialogue and peer learning, documenting effective strategies and good practice, fostering partnerships, providing capacity development, and developing tools and instruments to design, implement and monitor learning cities strategies.
http://uil.unesco.org/learning-cities/become-member
Photos courtesy of © City of Goyang, Republic of Korea; Canva Images
http://uil.unesco.org/learning-cities/become-member
Photos courtesy of © City of Goyang, Republic of Korea; Canva Images
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UNESCO learning cities' responses to COVID-19
Goyang, Republic of Korea
Adapting daily life
Health and safety for students and teachers
Lee Jae-jun
Financial and employment support
Challenges: Wellbeing and human rights
Learn more!
UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities