Impact of Temporary School Closure Due to COVID-19 on the Academic Achievement of Elementary School Students
Year: 2021
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study examines the effects of COVID-19 related temporary school closures on the academic performance of fifth-and sixth-grade primary school students in Japan.Difference-in-differences and event studies were conducted using "Manabi Nara" data, a math achievement test administered to fourth-sixth graders at each term-end in Nara City.Children who experienced temporary school closure made the treatment group while inexperienced one-year older children were the control group.The results showed lowered math scores in the short term, but scores significantly increased six months after school closure.Further, the lower the students' academic achievement was, the greater was their improvement in their math scores.We found that increased motivation and attitude shifts toward math during this period contributed to improved scores.Finally, students with disadvantaged living conditions around school vacations saw their math scores and motivation and attitude toward math fall, particularly in the bottom 25% of their fourth-grade academic performance.
Authors: Shinsuke Asakawa, Fumio Ohtake
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3207258302