Staggering impact of Covid-19 on education system
The COVID-19 pandemic is first and foremost a health crisis. Many countries have (rightly) decided to close schools, colleges. These interruptions will not just be a short-term issue, but can also have long-term consequences for the affected cohorts and are likely to increase inequality. Going to school is the best public policy tool available to raise skills. While school time can be fun and can raise social skills and social awareness, from an economic point of view the primary point of being in school is that it increases a child’s ability. Even a relatively short time in school does this; even a relatively short period of missed school will have consequences for skill growth. But can we estimate how much the COVID-19 interruption will affect learning? The closure of schools, colleges and universities not only interrupts the teaching for students around the world; the closure also coincides with a key assessment period and many exams have been postponed or cancelled....