Impact of COVID-19 on education

This research paper examines the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education across Africa, highlighting how school closures, a significant digital divide, and economic inequalities led to massive learning losses and increased vulnerability for poor and rural students.

• The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruption to African education, with over 90% of students experiencing interruptions due to school closures. In South Africa, despite better ICT infrastructure, UNICEF estimates that students lost between three-quarters and a full year of schooling, and up to 500,000 children dropped out entirely.
• Economic and geographic inequalities determined the severity of educational disruption. Wealthy students with high-speed internet faced minimal disruption, whereas rural and poor students often lost all access to education because schools lacked remote teaching facilities or adequate ICT infrastructure.
• The shift to remote learning was undermined by students' inability to focus at home and a lack of personal attention in online classes, which contributed to mental health issues during lockdowns that sometimes lasted two years. Additionally, children, particularly girls, became more susceptible to child labour and unpaid domestic work.
• Africa's vulnerability was exacerbated by a severe digital divide; estimates suggest that 60% to 85% of African university students lacked the necessary devices or internet access for online education. This indicates a critical need for affordable ICT infrastructure and the reskilling of teachers.

APA

Aikins, E. R., & Cilliers, J. (2026). Impact of COVID-19 on education. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=06-education&topic=06-impact-of-covid19

Chicago

Aikins, Enoch Randy, and Jakkie Cilliers. Impact of COVID-19 on education. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=06-education&topic=06-impact-of-covid19.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Aikins |first1=Enoch Randy |last2=Cilliers |first2=Jakkie |title=Impact of COVID-19 on education |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=21 April 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=06-education&topic=06-impact-of-covid19 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{aikins2026impact, author = {Aikins, Enoch Randy and Cilliers, Jakkie}, title = {{Impact of COVID-19 on education}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=06-education&topic=06-impact-of-covid19}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }