COVID-19 Widening the Gap in Education: Evidence from Urban Jakarta

Various studies provide evidence that inequality in educational inputs leads to inequality in achievement and long-term outcomes both in advanced and developing economies. The COVID-19 pandemic has been disrupting children's learning process and is suspected to create inequality in educational outcomes due to disparity in educational inputs. We conducted quantitative and qualitative studies to assess the scale and scope of inequality in the learning process during the COVID-19 pandemic in an urban setting of Jakarta. In particular, we launched an online survey and telephone interviews with representative parents and teachers of elementary school students in Jakarta. We find inequality in the learning from home process—across income and across schools with different poverty levels—such as access to learning materials to internet connection issues. We found that the learning from home process accentuates and exacerbates the pre-existing inequality. Our study suggests that the central and regional governments must formulate a policy to reduce inequality in the learning process during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such policy may reduce inequality in educational outcomes not only in the post-pandemic period but also in the long run.