Global learning loss in student achievement: First estimates using comparable reading scores

Maciej Jakubowski, Tomasz Gajderowicz and Harry Patrinos

Economics Letters, 2023, vol. 232, issue C

Abstract: We estimate the global impact of COVID-19 on student reading using international achievement tests. We model the effect of school closures (full and partial) on achievement by predicting the deviation of the most recent results from a linear trend using data from all rounds of PIRLS. Scores declined an average of 33 percent of a standard deviation, equivalent to more than a year of schooling. Losses are larger for students in schools that faced relatively longer closures. While there are no differences by sex, lower-achieving students experienced larger losses. The educational loss may translate to a 0.68 percentage point reduction of GDP growth for a global loss of $66 trillion.

Keywords: COVID-19; Learning loss; Student achievement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I19 I20 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:232:y:2023:i:c:s0165176523003385

DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2023.111313

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