The COVID-19 pandemic forced school closures in nearly all countries in 2020, though the situation has steadily improved in 2021. OECD data shows that lower performing education systems were more likely to close for longer periods of time. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to have lost school hours and to have lacked the resources for effective remote learning.
The pandemic has also provided a stark reminder that we do not all start out with same resources and opportunities, and that the consequences of this persist throughout our lives. This is where education can make a real difference, by creating a more level playing field for people of all ages to acquire the skills that power better jobs and better lives.
However, education inequalities persist, with gender, socio-economic status, family background, or geography still shaping our access to learning, whether or not we succeed in school, and the choices we’ll make as part of the education and jobs we pursue. Equity in education benefits not just individuals but all of us together, helping us to realise strong economies and resilient societies. We cannot build a robust, sustainable recovery without it.
Young women are ticking off all the boxes for success: they are more likely than their male peers to graduate from high school, more likely enter higher education and to graduate from it. But they are less likely than young men to get a degree or vocational qualification in STEM fields or to be employed. Boys are facing challenges in school, performing less well than girls in reading, particularly if they are from a disadvantaged background, and they also do slightly less well than girls in science. They are more likely to drop out of high school or higher education. Nevertheless, young men are more likely than young women to be employed and to have the digital skills needed in today’s economy. Equity in education means both broadening pathways and opportunities for girls and making sure boys stay on target in their learning and stay in school.
About 60% of OECD and partner countries surveyed have already increased their education budget in response to the pandemic. How these additional funds are being spent varies widely across countries: for example, additional teacher salaries to cover smaller classes and extra, remedial instruction; provision of digital tools to students for online learning; additional scholarships or loan waivers for students in higher education.
This is heartening but more needs to be done – and investments need to be maintained, rather than treated as exceptional crisis measures. Making equity in education a reality requires vision and long-term investments.
Many of us do not participate in learning after leaving school or higher education, and of those who do, how much education and skills they already have is a determinant factor, raising critical questions about both education equity and workforce preparedness.
OECD data show that about 4 out of 10 highly educated adults participate in formal or on-the-job training, while about 8 of 10 people with low levels of education do not take part. Workers with low skills are also less likely to participate in such training and more likely to work in sectors being transformed by automation and digitalisation, that is, in jobs where they will need to develop new skills now and in the future.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also had an impact, with lockdowns reducing the number of hours spent in on-the-job training by nearly 20%. As we move into the recovery, it is vital to encourage a lifelong learning mindset in children and young people as well as to match adult learning with the skill needs of new emerging sectors and industries.
Education at a Glance is the authoritative source for information on the state of education around the world. The 2021 edition includes a focus on equity, investigating how progress through education and the associated learning and labour market outcomes are impacted by dimensions such as gender, socio-economic status, country of birth and regional location.