Drivers of Inequality in Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Jordan

The interaction between the pandemic, school closures, and the digital divide further contributed to inequality in education in Jordan by making it harder for children belonging to poor families to break the intergenerational transmission of inequality. This paper makes use of the ERF COVID-19 Monitor Survey for Jordan to assess the prevalence of the various learning methods used during school closures and the difference in the characteristics of individuals using each method (gender, place of residence, parents’ education and employment, and household income) using a probit model. The paper finds that low household wealth and parents’ education are more likely to limit students’ ability to use online education, books, and written materials, or receive any family help. In-person education is more common among Jordanians, the unemployed or those out of the labor force, and those with less educated parents. The COVID-19 outbreak shed light on the importance of tackling the issue of the digital divide. Government efforts should be directed toward investing more in information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure to be conducive to teaching and learning. In addition, these efforts should also aim to formulate ICT literacy programs to train adults to use the Internet and access children’s e-learning platforms to potentially help them with their schoolwork.