Has the significance of Target 4.7 of the SDGs changed? A commentary focusing on the critical role of socio-emotional learning

Summary: This study estimates the global impact of COVID-19 on student reading using international achievement tests. After considering the effect of school closures, it is found that average scores declined by 33%, equivalent to more than a year of schooling. Students in schools with longer closures experienced larger losses, and lower-achieving students suffered greater declines, potentially leading to a 0.68 percentage point reduction in global GDP growth.