The COVID-19 pandemic has created the largest disruption of education systems in history, affecting nearly 1.6 billion school-age children in more than 190 countries. Heads of State and Government, high-level political leaders, policy makers, development partners and global education actors recently committed to reinforce global cooperation and investment in education, as outlined through the 2020 GEM Declaration. They committed to safely reopen schools, and strengthen and restore access to services such as school meals, health, WASH and social protection. Through this joint position paper UNESCO, UNICEF, WFP and WHO, urge governments and the international community to uphold these commitments and to consider school health and nutrition services as a critical part of national response and recovery plans and global recovery agendas. Leaders are asked to advance an equitable, inclusive and progressive approach to education that includes comprehensive, integrated school health and nutrition programmes, so as to ensure that all children and young people have the required conditions to learn and thrive.