Education During and After COVID-19

Globally, COVID-19 had a damaging effect on academic outcomes. However, in the Middle East, PIRLS reading test showed that fourth graders experienced a rise in their average scores between 2016 and 2021 and a rise in the percentages reaching each international benchmark except in Iran and Israel. In 2021, girls scored significantly higher than boys except in Iran and Israel. The association between reading scores and each of: discipline problems, socioeconomic status, school’s emphasis on academic success, and school resource shortages was weaker in 2021 in most countries. The association between liking or being confident in reading and reading scores remained significant in 2021, as did the association between parental engagement in early literacy and reading scores. A higher percentage of students could do literacy tasks well in 2021 than in 2016. Changes in PISA scores in mathematics, science, and reading between 2018 and 2022 showed a wide variation among countries, with no clear impact of the pandemic. Gender and socioeconomic gaps in mathematics performance in PISA between 2018 and 2022 varied across countries. The frequency of bullying declined, with variation across countries in the extent of student truancy and sense of school belonging. School management in all countries took actions to improve student learning and well-being during the pandemic.