Society

Literacy learning drops among Brazilian schoolchildren

New data from standardized tests is the latest to point out the damage caused by Covid disruptions to Brazilians' learning process — which should have long-lasting consequences

Literacy pandemic schoolchildren
In 2020, Brazil was the country where schools were closed the longest due to the pandemic. Photo: Marlene Bergamo/Folhapress

Reading and math skills of Brazilian schoolchildren aged 7 dropped in 2021 in relation to 2019, according to data from standardized tests conducted by the Education Ministry. The tests were administered late in 2021 in roughly 72,000 public and private schools attended by around 5.3 million students.

The average grade in reading dropped from 750 to 725.5 which experts consider a steep decrease. The average math grade fell from 750 to 741.

Fifth- and ninth-graders also experienced drops in reading and math, but less pronounced than those among younger students.

The Education Ministry said that this year’s tests took place in an “atypical educational context imposed by the Covid pandemic, which, in addition to the period of suspension of teaching activities, led most schools to adopt new teaching mediations and to review their curricula and criteria.”

In 2020, Brazil was the country where schools were closed the longest due to the...

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