The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's learning and wellbeing: Evidence from India

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 5000 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 were associated with less learning loss. Over the same period, children's psychological wellbeing improved. Our research provides valuable insights for designing post-emergency programs.

Automated summary

We examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and school closure on primary school children in Assam, India, focusing on their learning and mental wellbeing. Analyzing a comprehensive dataset that followed approximately 5000 children across 200 schools from 2018 to 2022, we found that students experienced significant learning loss during the pandemic, equivalent to nine months of learning in mathematics and eleven months in language. The children who lacked resources and parental support suffered the most. Regular practice, teacher interaction, and technology usage were associated with less learning loss. Interestingly, the children's psychological wellbeing improved during this period. Our research offers valuable insights for designing post-emergency programs.