Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP17917
Authors: Andrea Guariso; Martina Bjrkman Nyqvist
Abstract: We study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated school closure on primary school children’s learning and mental wellbeing in Assam, India. Using a comprehensive dataset that tracked and repeatedly surveyed approximately 5,000 children across 200 schools between 2018 and 2022, we find that children lost the equivalent of nine months of learning in mathematics and eleven months in language, during the pandemic. Children lacking resources and parental support experienced the largest losses. Regular practice, teacher interaction, and technology helped sustain learning. Over the same period, children’s psychological wellbeing improved. Our research provides valuable insights for designing post-emergency programs.
Keywords: COVID-19; school closure; primary school; learning loss; psychological wellbeing; India
JEL Codes: No JEL codes provided
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Lack of resources and parental support (I24) | Learning losses (C45) |
| Regular teacher interaction (A21) | Sustained learning (I21) |
| Technology use (L63) | Sustained learning (I21) |
| Private tuition (A39) | Sustained learning (I21) |
| Learning losses (C45) | Psychological wellbeing (I31) |
| School closures (I21) | Learning losses (C45) |