Abstract:

COVID-19 is causing disruption to education systems. There is a need to examine the evidence on the impact of COVID-19-induced school closures on student learning progress. Thorough a systematic review of the evidence on learning loss we report on estimates documented between March 2020 and March 2021. While much has been written on the expected outcomes, there are only a few rigorous, robust studies in the public domain so far, and all of them document the experience of the first wave of COVID-19 lockdowns. Most studies find evidence of student learning loss amongst at least some of the participants. Half the studies observed increases in inequality where certain groups of students experienced learning losses more significant than others. Going forward, more research is needed to increase the quantity of studies produced, their geographical focus, and the numbers of students they observe. Also, given that we are still experiencing COVID-19 schooling disruptions, follow up studies are needed.

Keywords:

Education, Learning loss, COVID-19, Systematic review.