Ruptured school trajectories: understanding the impact of COVID-19 on school dropout, socio-emotional and academic learning using a longitudinal design

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of longitudinal research conducted in Ethiopia exploring the effects of COVID-19 school closures on children’s holistic learning, including their socio-emotional and academic learning. It draws on data from over 2,000 pupils captured in 2019 and 2021 to compare primary school children’s dropout and learning before and after school closures. The study adapts self-reporting scales used in similar contexts to measure grade 4–6 pupils’ social skills and numeracy. Findings highlight the risk of widening inequality regarding educational access and outcomes, related to pupils’ gender, age, wealth and location. They also highlight a decline in social skills following school closures and identify a positive and significant relationship between pupils’ social skills and numeracy over time. In conclusion, we recommend a need for education systems to promote children’s holistic learning, which is even more vital in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Parents’ Perceptions on Parental Involvement in Their Children’s Education in Giyani Municipality Rural-based Schools, Limpopo Province, South Africa

“…This implies the need for rural-based schools in Limpopo to organise quarterly workshops targeting parents with training regarding curriculum changes to avoid further isolating them (Nthontho, 2017;Munje & Mncube, 2018;Sedibe & Fourie, 2018;Sanchez, 2020;Bayley et al, 2023). Challenges associated with parental involvement seem to cut across all contexts, including Europe and Africa, including South Africa.…”

“…Therefore, schools should understand the context of the community and parents' histories and welcome stakeholder involvement because it influences children's attendance and their performance. If schools fail to involve parents, that could possibly lead to their neglect to ascertain that their children attend school, which may trigger children's poor performance while increasing their dropout (Bayley et al, 2023).…”

Institutional and Teaching Practices for Student Retention: Accounts from Four High Schools of Valparaíso, Chile

“…When the most recent studies on school dropouts are analyzed, the research seeks to understand how COVID-19 impacted students' educational trajectories. These investigations emphasize the risk that inequalities in access to education that already existed prior to the pandemic have increased (Bayley et al, 2023). On the other hand, there remains a high interest in continuing to delve into the causes that cause it, either in a general way (Kumar et al, 2023) or by analyzing specific factors such as parental alcohol consumption (Pisinger et al, 2023).…”

Perceived occupational stress and associated factors among primary school teachers in the second wave of COVID-19 in Ethiopia: a multicenter cross-sectional survey

“…As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, school closures have affected the education of many students around the world ( 7 ). Schools in Ethiopia were closed in March 2020 as the pandemic spread and did not reopen for face-to-face education until October 2020 ( 8 ).…”