Abstract
Purpose – Over the three-year period of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a severe impact on global efforts to ensure all children receive a quality education. Pakistan is no exception. School closures to limit the spread of COVID-19 have directly impacted an estimated 40 million school-going learners from pre-primary to higher-secondary levels in Pakistan, where school enrolment, completion and quality of learning are already low, especially for girls. As stated in the ASER 2021 (ASER, 2021) report, “School closures to limit the spread of COVID-19 have directly impacted an estimated 40 million school-going learners from pre-primary to higher secondary levels, in a context where school enrolment, completion and quality of learning are already low, especially for girls” (p.6). Girls experienced greater learning losses than boys during the school closures. This served to halt or even reverse an increasing trend in learning outcomes for girls who had, in some cases, outdid boys. On average, about 60 per cent of children enrolled in schools spent less than an hour a day on their studies during school closures.
Research question – What has been the impact of COVID-19 Learning Loss across the Pakistani Catholic School Sector?
Context - This study aims to collect baseline data on seven Catholic diocesean schools in Pakistan as it interrogates the extent to which the pandemic has influenced this sector in both urban and rural settings. This study will select Catholic schools in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pukthunwa in its sampling. There are currently 244 schools in Pakistan across the seven dioceses with 95304 students enrolled, of which 56,557 are male students, and 38747 are female students.
Approach to inquiry – It is envisaged that using an online survey tool will assist the researchers in gauging the extent to which learning deficits and challenges are currently being faced within these schools in 2023, after having been three years through the pandemic. The survey tool will also identify viable school strategies that were used to address these challenges. This survey tool will be administered over August and September 2023 to a stratified sample of school leaders, teachers and administrative staff in this school sector.
Evidence – The baseline data collected through this study will contribute towards laying the groundwork towards establishing communities of practice across the seven dioceses. Initially, in 2023 focus will be on developing leadership capacity across the diocesan schools. From 2024 onwards, targeting the development of teacher pedagogy in Mathematics and English and/or Urdu will be made. These communities of practice will develop teaching and learning resources together within each diocese to assist with addressing the learning deficits of their students identified through the baseline data collected through this study.
Educational importance – Through the findings of this study, more targeted work for school improvement will be developed at the diocesan level, school level, subject level and individual student level.
Connection to the conference theme – The study will contribute to the ongoing system and school implications arising from the COVID-19 crisis in education within the Pakistani Catholic school sector.
Research question – What has been the impact of COVID-19 Learning Loss across the Pakistani Catholic School Sector?
Context - This study aims to collect baseline data on seven Catholic diocesean schools in Pakistan as it interrogates the extent to which the pandemic has influenced this sector in both urban and rural settings. This study will select Catholic schools in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pukthunwa in its sampling. There are currently 244 schools in Pakistan across the seven dioceses with 95304 students enrolled, of which 56,557 are male students, and 38747 are female students.
Approach to inquiry – It is envisaged that using an online survey tool will assist the researchers in gauging the extent to which learning deficits and challenges are currently being faced within these schools in 2023, after having been three years through the pandemic. The survey tool will also identify viable school strategies that were used to address these challenges. This survey tool will be administered over August and September 2023 to a stratified sample of school leaders, teachers and administrative staff in this school sector.
Evidence – The baseline data collected through this study will contribute towards laying the groundwork towards establishing communities of practice across the seven dioceses. Initially, in 2023 focus will be on developing leadership capacity across the diocesan schools. From 2024 onwards, targeting the development of teacher pedagogy in Mathematics and English and/or Urdu will be made. These communities of practice will develop teaching and learning resources together within each diocese to assist with addressing the learning deficits of their students identified through the baseline data collected through this study.
Educational importance – Through the findings of this study, more targeted work for school improvement will be developed at the diocesan level, school level, subject level and individual student level.
Connection to the conference theme – The study will contribute to the ongoing system and school implications arising from the COVID-19 crisis in education within the Pakistani Catholic school sector.
Original language | English |
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Number of pages | 1 |
Publication status | Published - Jan 2024 |
Event | International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement 2024: Quality Professional Education for Enhanced School Effectiveness and Improvement: International Perspectives and Approaches - Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland Duration: 8 Jan 2024 → 12 Jan 2024 https://2024.icsei.net/ |
Conference
Conference | International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement 2024 |
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Abbreviated title | ICSEI 2024 |
Country/Territory | Ireland |
City | Dublin |
Period | 8/01/24 → 12/01/24 |
Internet address |