Learning Loss: A Global Education Policy Issue

According to UNESCO, 617 million children and adolescents around the world are not reaching minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics. This “learning crisis” threatens progress towards the 4th Sustainable Development Goal, which calls for action to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated this crisis across the world, disproportionately affecting the most marginalized students in high-, middle-, and low-income countries. In this episode we learn about the different strategies and perspectives on the issue of the learning crisis in Canada and developing countries. Furthermore, we delve into ways the worsened learning crisis can be addressed in the post pandemic context. 

Further Reading:

UNESCO, ., UNICEF, . & World Bank. (2021). The State of the Global Education Crisis : A Path to Recovery. UNESCO, Paris, UNICEF, New York, and World Bank, Washington, DC. 

Guest Biographies:

Dr. Nina Bascia is a Professor in the Department of Leadership, Higher & Adult Education at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto. She is also a Visiting Professor at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Dr. Bascia is the founding Director of the Collaborative Program in Educational Policy. She is a leading scholar of educational policy as it intersects with schools as organizations, and particularly with teachers' work. Her research emphasizes educational policy analysis and program evaluation; organizational and social context of teaching and administration; and teacher leadership and development, teacher unions and professional associations. 

Dr. Moussa Blimpo is an Assistant Professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. He formerly served as a Senior Economist in the Office of the Chief Economist for the Africa Region at the World Bank. His work on the economics of education examines how critical demand-side features drive education quality and skills acquisition, particularly the incentives and involvement of students and parents in the educational system. He is also a member of the Intellectual Leadership Team of the Research on Improving Systems of Education (RISE) Programme, which seeks to understand how education systems in developing countries can raise learning outcomes.

Producers:

Anukriti Randev - Junior Producer

Keyi Liu - Junior Producer

Yunji Hwang - Junior Producer

Connor Fraser - Executive Producer