About us

The TAG will advise WHO, UNESCO and UNICEF specifically on the:

1. Epidemiology of the school transmission, its modelling to develop scenarios to guide when school closure is useful or not in relation to community transmission, based on currently available data, and highlight the data gaps that need to be addressed
2. Research priorities related to the role of educational institutions on COVID-19 transmission and containment

3. Lessons learned and key issues that are emerging from countries’ early experience of school reopening, and identification of priority topics requiring WHO advice in the forms of WHO guidelines, norms and standards to steer national strategies and policies on educational institutions closure, reopening and monitoring

4. Innovations emerging from national strategies on school reopening that can be recommended and scaled up 

5. Other topics, as identified by WHO, UNESCO and UNICEF where there is lack of scientific consensus or have varied levels of acceptance across countries.

The TAG will comprise up to 30 members who will serve in their personal capacities to represent expertise related to educational institutions and school health and COVID-19. Given the urgency of establishing the TAG, in the selection of the members consideration will be given to members of existing research and advisory groups on school health. Three groups are of primary relevance:

• The  External Advisory Group  for the development of  Global Standards for Health Promoting Schools was established in 2018 to advise WHO and UNESCO on the scope and content of the Global Standards for Health Promoting Schools, their implementation guidance, and the M&E framework, in order to maximize their usefulness to countries and their partners, and technical correctness. The group consists of representatives from Ministries of Health and Ministries of Education from all 6 WHO Regions, academia, civil society including students and youth-serving organizations, and UN Agencies (UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNFPA, UN Women, World Bank). The group was formed in close consultation with WHO regional offices and global networks of experts in school health research and policy, and school health services. Members of the group were selected based on explicit criteria, independently weighted by several members of the WHO secretariat. The group is currently active.
• The Guideline Development Group (GDG) for the WHO guideline on School health Services (SHS). This groups was formed in 2018 following the principles stipulated in the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development and has balanced regional representation and expertise across broad health areas such as mental health, NCDs, WASH, etc. The group is currently active.
• The Working Group on COVID-19 and Educational Institutions within the WHO-coordinated MNCAH COVID-19 Research Network. This group was formed on June 4th 2020 to advise WHO on priority research questions related to COVID-19 in educational institutions, such as:

How important is COVID-19 transmission in educational institutions ?

What are the effects of closures of educational institutions at different stages of the pandemic on COVID-19 transmission?

What are or will be the effects of reopening educational institutions on COVID-19 transmission?

What are the thresholds for closure, reopening and reclosure of educational institutions depending on the distribution of age-standardised infection rates.

Given the upmost closeness of the expertise and terms of reference of these 3 groups with the  scope of the TAG on educational institutions and COVID-19 we recommend that the composition of the TAG is drawn from the members of these three groups, many of whom are active in more than one group. The list of proposed members of the TAG is in Annex.

The technical areas of expertise of proposed TAG members include school health policy, school health services, adolescent health research, epidemiology, social sciences along with significant experience in programme design and management, service delivery, and research, development, and innovation.

Each proposed member will be required to complete a WHO declaration of interest (DOI) form, and his/her appointment will be subject to:

• the WHO Secretariat having evaluated the completed declaration of conflict of interest form, and determining that his/her participation would not give rise to a real, potential or apparent conflict of interest; and
• counter-signature by the proposed member of WHO’s invitation letter.

Members of the TAG shall be appointed for an undetermined period. The term will depend on  the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Members must respect the impartiality and independence required of WHO. In performing their work, they may not seek or accept instructions from any Government or from any authority external to the Organization. They must be free of any real, potential or apparent conflict of interest.

Membership in TAG may be terminated by WHO with immediate effect for any of the following reasons:

1. failure to attend two consecutive TAG meetings; or
2. any change that is deemed by WHO to give rise to a real, potential or apparent conflict of interest; or
3. a breach of any of the terms contained in WHO’s invitation letter and accompanying Memorandum of Agreement, Terms and Conditions for Temporary Advisers.
   

The TAG will meet at least once a month. Frequency may however be adjusted by WHO as necessary. The TAG meetings will be held through video- or teleconferences.

The TAG meetings will be co-chaired by WHO, UNESCO and UNICEF. A secretariat  representing the three agencies (see Annex 2) will convene meetings, develop the meeting agendas, coordinate working groups, and provide any necessary scientific, technical and other support.

TAG members will be asked to complete a Declaration of Interest and update it before each meeting. If based on the information disclosed in the updated DOI, WHO determines that a member’s participation in the meeting gives rise to a real, potential or apparent conflict of interest, this may lead to the partial or total exclusion from the meeting in question.

TAG will, as a rule, develop its advice by consensus. If a consensus cannot be reached, minority views and opinions shall be reflected in the report. Following each meeting of the TAG, the WHO, UNESCO and UNICEF Secretariat shall prepare report of the discussions, including the advice and recommendations proposed by the TAG.

Members of other relevant WHO expert committees, representatives of other UN agencies, representatives of other institutions, such as GAVI, Global Fund, GFF, and representatives of civil society may be invited to the meetings of TAG depending on need as observers.

All recommendations from the TAG are advisory to WHO who retains full control over any subsequent decisions or actions regarding any proposals, policy issues or other matters considered by the TAG. WHO also retains full control over the publication of the reports of the TAG, including whether or not to publish them. 

In the exercise of their advisory function, members of TAG shall serve in their personal capacity, as international experts advising WHO exclusively; and in that capacity they shall provide WHO with the best possible advice. Members of TAG have a responsibility to provide WHO with high quality, well considered advice and recommendations on matters described in these Terms of Reference. In keeping with TAG’s mandate to provide strategic and technical advice, members will be committed to the development and improvement of public health policies.

Information and documentation to which members may gain access in performing TAG related activities will be considered as confidential and proprietary to WHO and/or parties collaborating with WHO. TAG members shall not purport to speak on behalf of, or represent, the TAG or WHO to any third party. All proposed members will be required to agree to appropriate obligations of confidentiality and provisions on ownership.

TAG members will not be remunerated for their participation in TAG.

TAG members are expected to endeavour to attend all meetings. Further active participation will be expected from all TAG members throughout the year, including participation in ad hoc urgently planned video and telephone conferences as well as frequent interactions via e-mail. Review of documents may also be solicited. TAG members may be requested to participate as observers in other relevant WHO meetings.