In a podcast called “The Take,” the producer, Al Jazeera, discusses the impact of COVID-19 on school closures in Kenya and on the global education gap. From empty classrooms to canceled activities, over 1.3 billion students have had their educational experiences grind to a halt due to the pandemic. The transition to digital-based learning has significantly highlighted many educational inequalities, especially among those who live in low-income communities. In Kenya, 17 million students have been affected due to school closures. While schooling during the pandemic was being taught through radio stations, TVs, and computers, not everyone has access to these programs and to electricity, ultimately putting many students at an extreme disadvantage as well as at risk for falling behind. Additionally, many schools in low-income communities had previously implemented school feeding programs, but school closures, due to the pandemic, are costing these children their main source of nutrition. Toward the end of the podcast, the host invites a developmental economist to share his perspective on the global education gap. He states that, “When schools are closed, rich and poor kids are moving in opposite directions.” More affluent households have access to internet and remote learning opportunities, whereas those with a lower income become heavily reliant on the schools. This socio-economic gradient in educational outcomes during the pandemic has shined a light on many inequalities, and ultimately, this cohort of students will be suffering from an educational achievement gap due to this interruption.
