School closures 'affecting development'A classroom is sprayed with disinfectant at a Bangkok school closed for Covid-19 control. (Bangkok Post file photo)Many first-graders are missing out on their first-ever day at school as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, with concerns that delays to their schooling could harm their development and mental health. As a result of the loss of development opportunity, seven in 10 young Thai children surveyed by Unicef showed signs of poorer mental health, it said. "The first day of school is a landmark moment in a child's life. The associated consequences of school closures -- loss of learning opportunity, mental distress, missed vaccinations, and heightened risk of dropping out, -- will be felt by many children, especially the youngest learners in critical development stages, Unicef's survey said.

Source: Bangkok Post August 25, 2021 23:26 UTC