Building back better to avert a learning catastrophe: Estimating learning loss from COVID-19 school shutdowns in Africa and facilitating short-term and long-term learning recovery

Angrist, Noam; de Barros, Andreas; Bhula, Radhika; Chakera, Shiraz; Cummiskey, Chris; DeStefano, Joseph; Floretta, John; Kaffenberger, Michelle; Piper, Benjamin; Stern, Jonathan

Building back better to avert a learning catastrophe: Estimating learning loss from COVID-19 school shutdowns in Africa and facilitating short-term and long-term learning recovery

Noam Angrist, Andreas de Barros, Radhika Bhula, Shiraz Chakera, Chris Cummiskey, Joseph DeStefano, John Floretta, Michelle Kaffenberger, Benjamin Piper and Jonathan Stern

International Journal of Educational Development, 2021, vol. 84, issue C

Abstract: We model learning losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential for cost-effective strategies to build back better. Data from Early Grade Reading Assessments in Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Tanzania, and Uganda suggest half to over a year’s worth of learning loss. In modeling losses over time, we found that learning deficits for a child in grade 3 could lead to 2.8 years of lost learning by grade 10. While COVID-19 has stymied learning, bold, learning-focused reform consistent with the literature reviewed in this paper—specifically reform on targeted instruction and structured pedagogy—could improve learning even beyond pre-COVID-19 levels.

Keywords: COVID-19; Learning loss; Education; Foundational skills; Recovery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (22)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:injoed:v:84:y:2021:i:c:s073805932100050x

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2021.102397

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