Learning Loss and Educational Inequalities in Europe: Mapping the Potential Consequences of the Covid-19 Crisis

37 Pages Posted: 24 Apr 2021

See all articles by Zsuzsa Blaskó

Zsuzsa Blaskó

European Union - European Commission

Patricia da Costa

European Union - European Commission Joint Research Center

Sylke V. Schnepf

University of Southampton - Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute (S3RI); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Abstract

It is widely discussed that the pandemic has impacted on educational inequalities across the world. However, in contrast to data on health or unemployment, data on education outcomes are not timely. Hence, we have extremely limited knowledge about the actual impact of the pandemic on learning outcomes at the national and the cross-national level. As it might take years to get new comparative evidence on the actual extent of the problem, this paper uses the latest large scale international student assessment data from before the pandemic, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019 and applies simple descriptive analysis, regressions and logical deductions to map potential consequences of the Covid-19 crisis across Europe. We obtain the relative trajectories of children's learning loss and its unequal distribution from information on home and school resources, the importance of these resources for learning outcomes and countries' school closure duration policies and compare Covid-19 related risk of learning loss between European countries. Results based on 4th graders' school achievements indicate that throughout Europe educational inequalities between and within countries are likely to increase substantially. Some European countries are highly likely to face already an education crisis.

JEL Classification: I24

Suggested Citation

Blaskó, Zsuzsa and da Costa, Patricia and Schnepf, Sylke V., Learning Loss and Educational Inequalities in Europe: Mapping the Potential Consequences of the Covid-19 Crisis. IZA Discussion Paper No. 14298, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3833230 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3833230

Zsuzsa Blaskó (Contact Author)

European Union - European Commission

Rue de la Loi 200
Brussels, B-1049
Belgium

Patricia Da Costa

European Union - European Commission Joint Research Center

Edificio Expo C
Inca Garcilaso, s/n
Sevilla, Sevilla E-41092
Spain

Sylke V. Schnepf

University of Southampton - Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute (S3RI) ( email )

Southampton SO17 1BJ
United Kingdom

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

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