South Africa: COVID-19 Learning Losses and Attempts at Recovery in a Poorly Performing and Unequal Education System

Abstract

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected education in South Africa. School closures, rotational timetabling, remote learning challenges and higher absenteeism compounded educational disparities. PIRLS 2021 results demonstrate significant learning loss in Grade 4 reading achievement, with a decline of 31 PIRLS points since 2016, equivalent to 50–60% of a year’s learning. The proportion of extremely low performers doubled to over a quarter. Socio-economically disadvantaged students were disproportionately affected. Pandemic-induced curriculum adaptations and lenient promotion policies accelerated student progression but failed to address learning deficits, raising concerns about the affected cohorts’ educational and labour market prospects. Insufficient funding and coordination of targeted recovery strategies hinder learning recovery.