Australia's strict policies may have helped reduce virus cases among school students and minimise absences, new research suggests.
The study, co-authored by researchers from UNSW Business School and University of Sydney, analysed NAPLAN test scores across Australian states, examining differences in student performance based on varying periods of remote learning between 2020 and 2021, with school closures ranging from 9 to 157 days.
Using NAPLAN test score results from over a million students across different grade levels and regions, the researchers found that students in schools which operated remotely for an extended period performed similarly to students in schools which were closed for a relatively short period.
Dr Nalini Prasad from UNSW Business School, who collaborated on the research with Dr Christian Gillitzer from the University of Sydney, said while many countries closed schools as a last resort, Australia’s strict zero-COVID policy resulted in fewer case numbers and deaths.
“Low COVID case numbers meant that students did not have to miss school due to contracting the virus,” Dr Prasad said, adding that compulsory NAPLAN testing during the pandemic saw participation rates stay above 90%.
“This high participation rate means our findings aren't skewed by students not taking the test or selection bias, which has been a challenge for similar studies in other countries.”
Key lessons and broader impacts of school closures on students
While this research focuses specifically on NAPLAN performance, education experts have raised various concerns about the broader impacts of school closures on students' social development, mental health, and overall wellbeing.
“It’s possible the pandemic had a broader impact on children's wellbeing, including their mental health and social development,” Dr Prasad said. “The Murdoch Children’s Institute found a deterioration in the mental wellbeing of Australian children during the pandemic. This has also been found in other countries.”
Dr Prasad said these findings contribute to the ongoing discussion about supporting students' comprehensive development and addressing any lingering effects of the pandemic on young people.
“The evidence from this data is that students' NAPLAN performance remained stable during this period,” she said. “However, it's natural for parents to worry about their children, and academic performance is just one of many important factors in student development.”
A key takeaway from this research, says Dr Prasad, is the importance of students maintaining regular school attendance – whether in person or remotely.
“We don’t know what the next pandemic will be. It could be the case that mortality for children is much higher during the next pandemic.”
In such cases, lessons from this study could offer guidance, she said.
“This research underscores the importance of continued learning, even during challenging times, and highlights the role of parental involvement in supporting children's education,” she said.
“As the world continues to navigate the long-term consequences of the pandemic, understanding the factors that influence student outcomes remains essential.”
The original version of this article was edited for length.