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KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 15
The latest US math and reading scores showed worrisome declines due to the pandemic's toll and related school closures.
For many developing countries, the impacts of this shock are even worse, amounting to a crisis in learning that threatens a generation of children. As many as 70% of 10 year olds in low- and middle-income economies can't read and understand a basic text-what we call "learning poverty."
Learning deficits were already large before the pandemic but were deepened as COVID-19 brought education systems around the world to a standstill. This could result in massive productivity and earnings potential losses and endanger the future welfare of a generation of children and youth. Governments and the international development community must act quickly and decisively.
During the pandemic, students made none of the usual learning gains while schools were closed, despite attempts to reach them with remote learning.
For example, students in Malawi lost 18 months of learning during seven months of closures because they failed to learn new skills.
A version of this article appears in the print on November 16, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
