Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education

Learners affected by school closures caused by COVID-19 as of February 2021
  Full school closures
  Partial school closures
  Academic break
  Online learning
  No school closures
  No data

The COVID-19 pandemic affected educational systems across the world.[1] The number of cases of COVID-19 started to rise in March 2020 and many educational institutions and universities underwent closure. Most countries decided to temporarily close the educational institutions in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. UNESCO estimates that at the height of the closures in April 2020, national educational shutdowns affected nearly 1.6 billion students in 200 countries: 94% of the student population and one-fifth of the global population. Closures are estimated to have lasted for an average of 41 weeks (10.3 months). They have had significant negative effects on student learning, which are predicted to have substantial long-term implications for both education and earnings. During the pandemic, education budgets and official aid program budgets for education had decreased.[2][3][4][5][6]

The lockdowns have disproportionately affected already disadvantaged students, and students in low and middle income nations.[2][6][5][7] Scarcer education options impacted people with few financial resources, while those with more found education.[8] New online programs shifted the labor of education from schools to families and individuals, and consequently, people everywhere who relied on schools rather than computers and homeschooling had more difficulty.[8] Early childhood education and care as well as school closures impacted students, teachers, and families,[9] and far-reaching economic and societal consequences are expected.[10][11][12] School closures shed light on various social and economic issues, including student debt,[13] digital learning,[12][14][15] food security,[16] and homelessness,[17][18] as well as access to childcare,[19] health care,[20] housing,[21] internet,[22] and disability services.[23] The impact was more severe for disadvantaged children and their families, causing interrupted learning, compromised nutrition, childcare problems, and consequent economic cost to families who could not work.[24][25]

In response to school closures, UNESCO recommended the use of distance learning programmes and open educational applications and platforms that schools and teachers can use to reach learners remotely and limit the disruption of education. In 2020, UNESCO estimated that nearly 24 million will dropout, with South Asia and Western Asia being the most affected.[26]

  1. ^ Li L, Taeihagh A, Tan SY (3 February 2023). "A scoping review of the impacts of COVID-19 physical distancing measures on vulnerable population groups". Nature Communications. 14 (1): 599. Bibcode:2023NatCo..14..599L. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-36267-9. ISSN 2041-1723. PMC 9897623. PMID 36737447.
  2. ^ a b Srivastava P (15 March 2023). "How to recover from the Great Education Disruption". Knowable Magazine. Annual Reviews. doi:10.1146/knowable-031423-1. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  3. ^ UN Policy Brief: Education During COVID-19 and Beyond (PDF). United Nations. August 2020. By mid-April 2020, 94 per cent of learners worldwide were affected by the pandemic, representing 1.58 billion children and youth, from pre-primary to higher education, in 200 countries.
  4. ^ Lennox J, Reuge N, Benavides F (1 September 2021). "UNICEF's lessons learned from the education response to the COVID-19 crisis and reflections on the implications for education policy". International Journal of Educational Development. 85: 102429. doi:10.1016/j.ijedudev.2021.102429. ISSN 0738-0593. PMC 8426293. PMID 34518731. S2CID 236570133.
  5. ^ a b Donnelly R, Patrinos HA (1 October 2022). "Learning loss during Covid-19: An early systematic review". Prospects. 51 (4): 601–609. doi:10.1007/s11125-021-09582-6. ISSN 1573-9090. PMC 8579897. PMID 34785823.
  6. ^ a b Betthäuser BA, Bach-Mortensen AM, Engzell P (March 2023). "A systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence on learning during the COVID-19 pandemic". Nature Human Behaviour. 7 (3): 375–385. doi:10.1038/s41562-022-01506-4. ISSN 2397-3374. PMID 36717609. S2CID 256415516. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  7. ^ Betthäuser BA, Bach-Mortensen AM, Engzell P (30 January 2023). "A systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence on learning during the COVID-19 pandemic". Nature Human Behaviour. 7 (3): 375–385. doi:10.1038/s41562-022-01506-4. ISSN 2397-3374. PMID 36717609. S2CID 256415516.
  8. ^ a b Goudeau S, Sanrey C, Stanczak A, Manstead A, Darnon C (27 September 2021). "Why lockdown and distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to increase the social class achievement gap". Nature Human Behaviour. 5 (10): 1273–1281. doi:10.1038/s41562-021-01212-7. PMID 34580440. S2CID 238203517.
  9. ^ Bao X, Qu H, Zhang R, Hogan TP (September 2020). "Modeling Reading Ability Gain in Kindergarten Children during COVID-19 School Closures". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17 (17): 17. doi:10.3390/ijerph17176371. PMC 7504163. PMID 32882960.
  10. ^ "Adverse consequences of school closures". UNESCO. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  11. ^ Lindzon J (12 March 2020). "School closures are starting, and they'll have far-reaching economic impacts". Fast Company. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  12. ^ a b Aristovnik A, Keržič D, Ravšelj D, Tomaževič N, Umek L (October 2020). "Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Life of Higher Education Students: A Global Perspective". Sustainability. 12 (20): 8438. doi:10.3390/su12208438.
  13. ^ Jamerson J, Mitchell J (20 March 2020). "Student-Loan Debt Relief Offers Support to an Economy Battered by Coronavirus". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Distance learning solutions". UNESCO. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  15. ^ Karp P, McGowan M (23 March 2020). "'Clear as mud': schools ask for online learning help as coronavirus policy confusion persists". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  16. ^ "Schools Race To Feed Students Amid Coronavirus Closures". NPR.org. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  17. ^ Sessons B (23 March 2020). "Homeless students during the coronavirus pandemic: 'We have to make sure they're not forgotten'". Statesville.com. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  18. ^ Ngumbi E. "Coronavirus closings: Are colleges helping their foreign, homeless and poor students?". USA Today. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  19. ^ "Coronavirus Forces Families to Make Painful Childcare Decisions". Time. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  20. ^ Feuer W (20 March 2020). "WHO officials warn health systems are 'collapsing' under coronavirus: 'This isn't just a bad flu season'". CNBC. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  21. ^ Barrett S (23 March 2020). "Coronavirus on campus: College students scramble to solve food insecurity and housing challenges". CNBC. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  22. ^ Jordan C (22 March 2020). "Coronavirus outbreak shining an even brighter light on internet disparities in rural America". The Hill. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  23. ^ Nadworny E (23 March 2020). "Education Dept. Says Disability Laws Shouldn't Get In The Way Of Online Learning". NPR.org. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  24. ^ "COVID-19 Educational Disruption and Response". UNESCO. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  25. ^ "Coronavirus deprives nearly 300 million students of their schooling: UNESCO". The Telegram. Reuters. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  26. ^ "290 million students out of school due to COVID-19: UNESCO releases first global numbers and mobilizes response". UNESCO. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2020.