How Much of Learning Would Be Lost This Coming School Year

Basic education in both US and the Philippines this year will be largely online. I have heard from several experts on online education that takes at least a year just to develop an online course. Certainly, what we will see in a few weeks is not really online learning but just an emergency type of instructional continuity. There is simply not enough time to build online courses and provide the necessary training to instructors. With this in mind, the learning loss this academic year in elementary, middle and high schools can be significant and researchers at McKinsey & Company have recently warned, "These effects - learning loss and higher dropout rates - are not likely to be temporary shocks easily erased in the next academic year."

Above copied from
COVID-19 and student learning in the United States: The hurt could last a lifetime

So even with average remote learning, which is probably already a high bar for schools to reach since there are just barely weeks to prepare, a student stands to lose 3-4 months of learning. In the Philippines, remote learning faces huge challenges especially with the lack of preparedness. Not having an internet or computer self-efficacy can already hinder online learning. It will be worse if students have no access to this technology. Thus, in this environment, the most likely scenario is 7-14 months of learning loss, which is almost equivalent to not having school at all during the entire year. 

These are certainly difficult times for basic education for most of the world. At times like these, it is important perhaps to focus on other basic needs of children. We are still in the middle of a pandemic. Homes still need a lot of financial and emotional support and we must not forget that children live in these homes.