Unequal experience of COVID-induced remote schooling in four developing countries

Lockdown measures during the pandemic have resulted in school closure worldwide affecting nearly 9 out of 10 students. Consequently, remote schooling has become a growing phenomenon. However, due to a lack of infrastructural capacity and widespread poverty, the experience of remote learning in developing countries may have been unequal by pupils’ socioeconomic status, gender and location. This study draws evidence from a phone survey conducted by Young Lives (YL) in Ethiopia, two states of India, Peru and Vietnam enquiring which sociodemographic groups are benefiting more from remote schooling. Logit regression results suggest that students from wealthier households, urban areas and with internet access from all countries are more likely to experience remote schooling. Pupils from higher-educated households in all countries but Peru also tend to have alternative schooling. Additionally, apart from Peru, the gender difference in experiencing remote learning is not found significant. We suggest that access to remote learning resources for marginalised students would be paramount to reduce inequality in learning loss in the global South.