Consequences of Corona

One and a half years of the coronavirus pandemic are now behind the pupils. While the first year was characterised by repeated or ongoing school closures with a switch to distance learning, they have largely been attending school again continuously since the summer holidays in 2021.
Whether and to what extent pupils are directly and individually affected by the school closures, the switch to distance learning, the lack of contact with teachers and classmates in terms of their learning development, but also psychologically and health-wise, depends on various conditions and framework conditions. In general, however, it can be observed that pre-existing inequalities have increased. Children who had difficulties at school before the start of the coronavirus pandemic have developed less positively or more unfavourably than children who were good and motivated at school and/or whose parents were able to support them in their learning. The demands on digital infrastructure and equipment at home, but also on digital skills, have further exacerbated this: around a quarter of children living in poor families do not have the appropriate equipment, and often do not have enough space to set themselves up for learning at home. In addition, there is a significantly higher proportion of children and young people who feel mentally stressed.

The coronavirus pandemic, with extensive daycare centre and school closures, has further exacerbated the situation, especially for the target group, who already have unfavourable conditions for their educational careers. Even though children and young people from educationally disadvantaged families have often not survived the pandemic without suffering health or psychological impairments, the impact on children and young people from educationally disadvantaged families is far greater.

Against the background of 1) the already high proportion of young people who leave school with inadequate performance and 2) the intensifying effects of the corona pandemic, FiBS is focussing on the following questions and tasks in its project on behalf of the North Rhine-Westphalia state office of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation:

1. what is the initial situation for the education system in North Rhine-Westphalia?

2. what measures could be taken to improve this situation?

3. what costs would be required to achieve this reorganisation, and

4. what fiscal returns would this entail for which federal level?