Abstract
In a bid to contain the spread and infection rate of COVID-19, Eswatini closed all its schools on 17 March 2020, and for a year they remained closed. Despite education being the only viable means towards a better future, the closing of schools set-off to heighten prevailing educational disparities towards academic access, experience and achievement for the vulnerable children of the country. Adopting intersectionality as a theoretical framework, the paper seeks to analyse the educational effects of COVID-19 on the vulnerable children of Eswatini. The aim is to identify and discuss how educational systems and processes amidst the COVID-19 era sought to amplify the already compounded, complex and dominant educational disparities for children affected by vulnerability. A systematic literature review was conducted to understand child poverty and vulnerability in Eswatini schools and the implications of the COVID-19 school restrictions on the vulnerable children. Strategies to minimise the adverse effects of the pandemic on inclusive and equitable schooling for the vulnerable children have been suggested.
Highlights
The novel human coronavirus, COVID-19, has brought havoc to the economic systems of countries worldwide (Doyle, 2020), and predominantly poor countries have been affected the most (Gaynor & Wilson, 2020)
Twelve (12) of these studies were excluded. These findings were discussed in view of the schooling of the vulnerable children of Eswatini and the country’s educational restrictions, processes and systems meant to mitigate the educational effects of COVID-19
The paper has highlighted the inequalities that exist in the educational system of the country as driven by COVID-19, and the role played by the government of Eswatini in proliferating such inequalities (Bailey, O’Flaherty & Hogan, 2017)
Summary
The novel human coronavirus, COVID-19, has brought havoc to the economic systems of countries worldwide (Doyle, 2020), and predominantly poor countries have been affected the most (Gaynor & Wilson, 2020). One of the commitments towards the SDGs was for every member country to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education, ending poverty and achieving gender equality in all aspects of social life (UNESCO, 2015) With such perfectly crafted policy statements, one would conclude that the educational affairs of vulnerable children in the country are well taken care of. Eswatini is far from safeguarding the future of its marginalised children and from achieving its educational goals (Khumalo, 2013) This is with ruinous effects to the vulnerable children who presently live within very challenging economic, educational and welfare situations (Mkhatshwa, 2017). With COVID-19, these inequalities and challenges faced by the vulnerable children are set to reach new and ruinous heights (Doyle, 2020)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
