Perspectives of parents and caregivers on the implications of COVID-19 for pre-primary education Ethiopia

• In Event: Early Childhood Education in the Era of COVID-19: Cross-Country Evidence on System Responses

Proposal

School closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic have affected education systems around the world. A particular concern has been on the likely adverse effects on children’s learning in primary and secondary schools, with very little attention to pre-primary education. The aim of this presentation is to explore the impact of COVID-19 on the continuity of pre-primary education in Ethiopia through the perspectives of parents and caregivers. Ethiopia’s pre-primary education system has expanded dramatically in recent years, in line with government commitment to providing access to all 6-year-old children by 2030. As such, the effects of the pandemic are of particular interest in a setting where pre-primary education is seen as a national priority for ensuring children are prepared for primary school. Notably, however, there has not been a clear response strategy by government for pre-primary education during school closures while primary and secondary levels have received attention. This could be a threat of COVID-19 on Ethiopia’s recent gains in pre-primary education.

As part of the Early Learning Partnership research, structured phone interviews were conducted on a sample of 480 parents and caregivers living in Addis Ababa City Administration and primarily rural areas of Amhara, Benishangul Gumuz, Oromia, SNNP, and Tigray. The study identified parents’ access to various forms of technology and the extent to which families are using this to support their pre-primary school age children’s learning remotely. The survey assessed how parents and caregivers have been able to engage in supporting their children’s learning at home, what information and resources they have had access to, and their perspectives on school re-opening.

Results indicated that pre-primary students received very limited learning support from teachers, parents and caregivers during school closures, especially for those who are living in rural or remote areas. Mothers were most likely to be responsible for supporting children’s learning, but they were least likely to be literate. Most caregivers have received little support from schools, while they have faced multiple challenges such as lack of children’s books and learning materials at home. Caregivers who are illiterate or those who are from poorer households were less likely to play often with their child during school closure than they used to before the pandemic. Our findings highlight the need for strategies to ensure that all young children return to schools with hygiene and safety measures and provide academic support to build up the foundational skills that they have missed during school closures. It is also vital to improve the information flow between schools and caregivers to support involvement in young children’s learning activities at home, especially for those who are the most disadvantaged.

Authors

• Janice H Kim, University of Cambridge

• Belay Hagos Hailu, Addis Ababa University

• Pauline Rose, University of Cambridge

• Tassew Woldehanna, Addis Ababa University