Mass school closures affected the most vulnerable students, exposing and amplifying enduring equity challenges.

The pandemic underlined important shortcomings related to basic critical thinking and information literacy skills in youth and adults – the tools needed to fight mis- and dis-information.

The pandemic also emphasised the importance of the socialisation function of education, and the need to support not only cognitive development but the development of social and emotional skills, values and attitudes, to prepare students to thrive in adverse circumstances.

As we head into 2023, how can education policymakers use the pandemic as an opportunity to rethink education systems, enhancing their efficiency and adapting them for the future?

Education in recovery

School closures due to COVID-19
number of days, selected countries

Studies also looked at the impacts of the crisis on the mental health and well-being of students and teachers, mostly at primary and secondary levels.

The impacts of the pandemic on education have been severe. In response, countries increased instruction time for students, offered pedagogical training for teachers, and even introduced summer schools on a national level throughout 2021/22, to help primary and secondary students recover learning losses and build psycho-social resilience.

Closing learning gaps

Share of children engaged in early literacy
and numeracy activities, 2019

And while remote schooling and distance learning are better options than no schooling at all, post-pandemic evidence has shown that remote education widened existing social disparities in learning, with large learning losses among pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The post-pandemic educational reality will require new solutions to the challenges of inequity and fairness in education, moving away from a “one-size-fits-all” approach to more personalised and inclusive learning. Smart uses of digital technologies – such as adaptive learning, enhanced personalisation of learning experiences, and access to a greater array of learning resources and equipment –  can help.

More dynamic education systems

Share of NEET youth, as a % of total
18-24-year-olds, selected countries

As disruptions and evolutions continue in 2023, countries are seeking to provide measures to support labour market inclusion for young people facing major or multiple employment obstacles, working with education systems to give young people – and adults – greater ownership over what, how, where and when they learn.

Rising international student mobility

International students as a share of
tertiary students in %, selected countries

Outside these top-seven destinations, the share of international students enrolled in an OECD country has grown consistently, increasing to almost 30% by 2020. But while destinations have diversified over the past decade, the main origin countries have largely remained stable, with China and India accounting for 22% and 10% of all international students, respectively.

From a migration policy perspective, international students are a unique group. They are often seen as “pre-integrated” migrants whose domestic credentials are easily recognisable by employers, and who have at least some experience and knowledge of the host country, including the language.

Think digital

As countries evaluate their future education spending, they should continue to invest in educational tools that can support all learners in developing the foundational skills that will help them navigate this new digital age confidently.