During the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries implemented remote learning strategies to ensure educational continuity amid school closures. Sierra Leone achieved its goal of providing education to 1 million children through remote learning during the lockdowns in 2020. In Edo State, Nigeria, 56 percent of students accessed the EdoBEST@home program to continue their education from home. Turkey's Digital Education System (EBA) reached 70 percent of its student population via online platforms and virtual classrooms. Peru's "Aprendo en Casa" initiative reached 7.2 million students using a combination of radio, TV, and internet.
The pandemic led to significant disruptions in education globally, with one billion children missing a year of schooling and 700 million missing up to 1.5 years. Countries with prior experience in remote learning or those that had invested in technology were better prepared for these challenges.
Middle- and high-income countries mostly utilized online systems for real-time teacher-student interaction. However, low-income regions often lacked the necessary infrastructure for sophisticated remote learning solutions and instead relied on basic technologies like radio and television.
The World Bank Group is now focused on helping countries recover lost learning and build resilient education systems ready for future crises. The organization emphasizes keeping schools open longer, assessing students' needs accurately, streamlining curricula, and promoting political commitment to learning recovery.
Since early 2020, the World Bank has supported nearly half a billion students across various educational levels worldwide. Sierra Leone used lessons from past crises like the Ebola outbreak to prepare for educational interruptions during COVID-19 by developing remote learning tools with support from partners including the Global Partnership for Education.
In Nigeria's Edo State, within four months of school closures due to COVID-19, a public-private partnership launched Edo-BEST@Home—a fully online remote learning program that delivered content through mobile phones due to varying access to devices across the state.
Turkey leveraged its existing digital platform EBA for remote learning when schools closed in March 2020. With World Bank support through the Safe Schooling and Distance Learning Project funded at $160 million, EBA benefitted approximately 11.8 million students—70 percent of Turkey’s student population.
Peru responded swiftly with "Aprendo en Casa," utilizing multiple modalities like TV and radio alongside internet-based solutions to reach millions of students nationwide while ensuring regular teacher-student interactions maintained engagement levels.
As part of its efforts against COVID-19 impacts on education systems globally as of early 2024—the World Bank Group allocated $4.2 billion towards projects aimed at mitigating these effects through initiatives such as Continuous Accelerated Learning developed collaboratively with UNESCO & UNICEF under grants from GPE amounting up-to $25 Million out which $7 .5 Million was allocated specifically towards minimizing global learning losses by developing public goods available worldwide .
Looking ahead , WBG plans incorporate insights gained during this period into new interventions across schools universities skill centers emphasizing importance effective teaching both physically remotely two-way interactions between teachers pupils involvement wider variety partners including parents private companies civil society academic community enhancing resilience provisions embedded new projects supported group . For nations unable manage similar situations previously investments required should another crisis necessitate extensive closures again .
“Remote Learning During COVID-19: Lessons from Today; Principles for Tomorrow” outlines how recommendations have been integrated into recent operations financed by World Bank ensuring readiness potential future disruptions .