Ricardo Estrada
Economista Principal, CAF -banco de desarrollo de América Latina y el Caribe-
School closures have been a key component of the COVID-19 response strategy, as they can curb contagion, especially when coupled with other social distancing measures. However, this measure is likely to have a high social cost, including an impact on learning.
Empirical evidence suggests that lack of classroom activity has a negative effect on learning, particularly in marginalized groups, and causes long-term consequences in the labor market. To avoid this negative effect, the region’s education systems have implemented various strategies to ensure continuity of the teaching-learning process. In these efforts, online education plays a pivotal role.
Online education has undoubtedly an enormous potential for the development of teaching-learning activities. However, to make it work, many pieces need to come into place. At a minimum, during home confinement, online learning requires internet access and devices suitable for the use of educational materials and online communication platforms. Unfortunately, this is not the case in many of Latin American households.
Figure 1 shows the availability of computers in households for several Latin American countries, depending on their income level and whether they are located in urban or rural areas. As it is clear, many homes in the region do not have a computer. Access varies between countries, but two common patterns emerge: the likelihood of having a computer at home increases with higher household income and is higher in urban households than in rural households. In other words, there is a clear income-based and urban/rural gap in the availability of computers at home—although the size of these gaps also differs by country.
There is no up-to-date comparative data by country and by income level, on the availability of an internet broadband connection in households. The CAF 2019 Survey provides insights on this issue for 11 cities in the region (see Figure 2). The same pattern applies: Not all households have broadband internet access and this access increases with household income. Worryingly, the levels of coverage reported here are expected to be lower in locations not covered by the CAF Survey in these countries.
Inequality in access to computers and the internet goes hand in hand with inequality in access to other inputs for home learning, such books and a place to study; and, more importantly, with inequality in the education and parents’ jobs, who in the face of adverse events are even more decisive factors in learning. In addition, the current emergency is hitting resource-poor households (with higher rates of informal and precarious jobs) the hardest, widening pre-existing socio-economic gaps.
In short, due to inequality in living conditions in households, the COVID-19 pandemic can exacerbate inequality in learning and therefore social mobility and future economic growth. To make matters worse, our region is already characterized by high inequality in learning.
Thus, a core challenge for education policies during the current emergency is to prevent deeper inequality in learning, with a focus on the most vulnerable children. Fostering the educational use of television, a more available medium in poorer households, and the distribution of printed materials may become a priority option in several contexts. Another important resource is cell phones, following appropriate protocols, to maintain contact with students. Post-confinement strategies will also need to be devised, which will allow school to reopen access to those who need it most.
