MAY 2024 Missing School The Effect of Crises on Students and Teachers in Pakistan Sana Isa, Sophia D’Angelo, Juan D. Barón 1 Pakistani children have faced nationwide and severe disruptions KEY TAKEAWAYS to their schooling over the past several years, first due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then the 2022 floods. Given the Disruptions to education, such as country’s vulnerability to climate change, these disruptions prolonged school closures during are likely to increase. What measures can be implemented to times of crisis, amplify inequalities minimize the impact of these crises and return children to learning and exclusion, especially when as quickly as possible? effective emergency response measures are not in place. In addition to COVID-19 learning losses (World Bank, 2022), some → The impacts of the COVID-19 countries – including Pakistan – experienced a wide range of other impacts, such as an increased rates of student drop-out, increase pandemic on education manifested through a diverse set of variables, in gender-based violence, child labor and mental health issues including school closures, a drop (KORE Global, 2022). In order to reverse human capital losses in income, and food insecurity, all and better prepare to respond to future shocks, governments of which exacerbated existing must establish agile, resilient, and adaptive human development inequities across socio-economic systems, coordinate across sectors (education, health, etc.), levels, gender, and urban-rural and ensure their approach is data-driven and that it leverages divides. technology effectively (Schady et al., 2023). This note further supports this argument, drawing on the context of Pakistan. → Disruptions to school perpetuate gender roles for women and The first case of COVID-19 was registered in Pakistan in children, increasing the risk of February 2020. Soon after, on March 13, 2020, the Government domestic work and child labor, closed its schools, affecting over 46 million learners aged 5 to 16 interfering with students’ access (UNICEF & UNESCO, 2020). Schools gradually started reopening to school, and placing increased in September, but a second wave of the virus caused schools to burden on female teachers. close again from November 24, 2020, until January 15, 2021. In an → Increased empowerment at attempt to mitigate learning losses caused by the eight months the school and district levels of school closures, the federal ministry and provincial education strengthens implementation of departments launched several distance learning programs, emergency response measures to including through broadcast media, such as radio and cable ensure remote education is tailored television, and an online learning portal for students to access to the needs of students, their pre-recorded lessons and additional materials. families, and the school community. Despite these efforts, the number of out-of-school-children has → Multi-sectoral collaboration in increased since 2019. In 2021, 19% of rural children were reported times of crises is necessary to offer to be out of school compared to 17% in 2019, and 7.8% of urban a well-integrated response that children were reported out of school compared to 5.6% (ASER, adequately addresses learning, as 2022). In addition, learning poverty in Pakistan is currently 77%, a two well as student and teacher safety, percentage point increase from 2019. This means that 77% of children health, and broader well-being. cannot read a read and understand a short, age-appropriate text by age 10 (World Bank, 2022). 1 Corresponding author (jbaron@worldbank.org). Sana Isa, Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training; Sophia D’Angelo, the World Bank. FEBRUARY 2020 First case of MID-JUNE TO OCTOBER 2022 Covid-19 registered in Pakistan Monsoon floods affect nearly JANUARY 15, 2021 Schools one third of country, and result MARCH 13, 2020 Government re-open after second wave in 7,000 schools shutting of Pakistan closes its schools of COVID-19 down to be used as shelters for displaced persons 2020 2021 2022 2023 SEPTEMBER 2020 Schools gradually start reopening NOVEMBER 24, 2020 Schools shut again due to second wave of COVID-19 After the pandemic, nearly four out of five 10-year-olds are unable to read a short, age appropriate text. Compounding these impacts, in mid-June 2022, One of the most pertinent questions COVID-19 recovery efforts were hampered by here is: how can we plan for an floods caused by unusually heavy monsoon, with rains affecting nearly one-third of the country emergency response that accounts and resulting in additional school closures. Nearly for the most marginalized from its 7,000 schools across the country were used to inception, and protects students, accommodate people displaced by the flooding, and damage to infrastructure disrupted families’ teachers, and parents, and the wider access to schools and health centers (Barón et al., education system from shocks? 2022). The multi-dimensional impacts of COVID-19 and the floods go beyond effects on learning and To answer this question, the note draws on the schooling, highlighting the need for a more holistic results of a mixed-methods study, including a phone understanding of, and response to, such crises. It is survey and series of key informant interviews (KIIs) within this context that this research was conducted. and focus group discussions (FGDs). Information was gathered on the experiences of approximately This note explores the government’s 4,000 families with children ages 3 to 17 in Pakistan, as well as teachers, school leaders, District Education response to COVID-19 and school Officers (DEOs) and other education personnel, closures in Pakistan; it shows how data capturing a range of variables, including household disaggregated by gender, household characteristics, access to technology, participation in educational activities, time use for parents and location, and other variables can children, service delivery processes, and institutional inform a more effective and inclusive mechanisms available to teachers and students. education response and build the Interviews and focus group discussions also explored the impact of COVID-19 on individuals’ physical education system’s resilience to future and socio-emotional well-being, as well as their emergencies. perceptions of the government’s response to the pandemic. The results draw on evidence collected It focuses on vulnerabilities within the system, to in four provinces and the federal areas, inclusive ensure that responses to future crises are informed of the poorest households in both rural and urban by how these vulnerabilities perpetuate exclusion communities; however, the samples in these and inequalities, especially those pertaining to districts are not nationally representative. (For the gender, income, and geographical location. methodology and caveats about the interpretation of results, see final section of this note.) MISSING SCHOOL | The Effect of Crises on Students and Teachers in Pakistan | March 2024 2 Even before COVID-19, Pakistan Bundervoet et al., 2021). Crises also often lead to a reversal of gender equality progress and return experienced high rates of inequality, to prevalent gender norms that dictate decision- observed particularly in the intersection making and power within households (Harper of socio-economic level, gender, and et al., 2020). As in the case of COVID-19, women and children face increased risks to domestic and rural-urban divide. intimate partner violence, or other forms of gender- According to the 2014-2015 Pakistan Social and based violence, including child, early and forced Living Standards Measurement (PSLM), as measured marriage, as well as unpaid or paid domestic work before the pandemic, more than half (55%) of and child labor (UN Women, 2020). rural households live in multidimensional poverty, Emerging evidence from Pakistan suggests that the compared to just 1 in 10 (9%) urban households pandemic has exacerbated educational inequalities (Government of Pakistan, et al., 2016). Provincial and negatively affected the broader well-being of differences in poverty rates ranged from 31% in poor students, and especially girls. School closures Punjab to 71% in Balochistan, and rural communities in Pakistan have “hit the poorest the hardest,” with across all provinces are significantly more likely the gap in enrollment between the poorest and to experience multidimensional poverty (ibid). wealthiest children widening over the pandemic, Inequalities based on gender, socio-economic level, especially in older adolescent age groups (Nagesh and geography were also reflected in pre-pandemic et al., 2022). A nationally representative study found educational outcomes. Prior to the pandemic, that learning loss was larger among girls than boys Pakistan experienced low levels of completion and in Urdu, English, and Math (ASER, 2022). A survey attendance rates, particularly for poor and rural of caregivers during COVID-19 in Pakistan found students, and especially girls. According to the that the emotional well-being of some young World Inequality Database in Education (WIDE), children deteriorated significantly, particularly for Pakistan is among the top 10 countries in the world those from the poorest households, with parents with the highest rates of out-of-school poor girls also experiencing distress (Humphrey & Devercelli, (i.e. from the lowest wealth quintile) at the primary 2021). This study also found that the youngest (59%), lower secondary (70%), and upper-secondary students were largely left out of the country’s policy (89%) levels (UNESCO, 2022a). responses, with remote learning rarely designed to Overlapping crises in Pakistan have disrupted meet their developmental needs. education, exacerbating inequalities for girls and poor students, and especially individuals Therefore, this note illustrates how facing intersecting vulnerabilities. From climate disruptions to education – such as catastrophes to economic issues, girls in rural areas prolonged school closures at times and children from the lowest-income households have consistently been the most likely to go without of crisis – amplify inequalities and an education (GPE, 2020). Historically, substantial exclusion especially when effective and empirical evidence produced by UN agencies, the inclusive emergency response measures National Disaster Management Authority and civil society organizations underscore how women and are not in place. other marginalized groups suffer disproportionally An effective and inclusive emergency response is due to unequal gender and power relations that intentionally designed to address inequities based determine access to, and control over, resources on socioeconomic level, gender, geography, and during times of humanitarian crises in Pakistan other characteristics of vulnerability. It requires (UNESCO, 2022b; NDMA, 2017). education systems to quickly mobilize resources, Poorer households are impacted by various conduct needs assessments, and identify the intertwined and intersecting factors including job constraining and enabling factors that can support or insecurity, decrease in income, food insecurity, hinder learning and students’ broader well-being. disruptions in schooling for children, and a system that does not center the lived experiences of these households in their planning (UNESCO, 2021; MISSING SCHOOL | The Effect of Crises on Students and Teachers in Pakistan | March 2024 3 I. During school closures, Survey data captured the wide variation that exists across households in terms of their access to household support and electricity, the internet, cable, and digital devices. paper-based education For example, while 93% of all surveyed urban households have access to the electricity, only 73% materials provide learning of rural households report the same. Further, this opportunities for students figure drops to as low as 43% in sample districts in Sindh province. Disparities in access to the Internet especially from poorer are also observed, whereby 31% of all surveyed households. urban households report having access, compared to just 19% of rural households. Differences across Across the sample districts, students had limited provinces and regions are even more pronounced, access to educational support and technology ranging from only 8% of households to 43% of at home. Only 26% of urban households and 19% households reporting access to the Internet. of rural households report that the continuation Cable connection – an asset needed to access TV of education activities at home during school broadcasted lessons during the pandemic – indicates closures involved receiving help from siblings and even greater rural-urban disparities: only 13% of parents. Also, only 7% of urban households and participating households in rural areas report having 3% of rural households report using smartphones access to a cable connection, compared to 41% for educational activities at home during school of households in urban areas. Access to different closures, and that number drops lower for using TV digital devices also differs greatly across districts and/or a laptop for education. While educational and rural-urban divide. For example, participating technology can be used to bridge learning gaps, it urban households were almost twice as likely as can also reinforce pre-existing inequalities based rural households to report having access to a TV on gender and poverty. The findings from our study (55% compared to 28% respectively). Additionally, suggest that poor and rural households in Pakistan smartphone ownership is lowest in the sample were less likely to have access to digital technology districts of Sindh (25%) and Balochistan (42%), and and the internet, and girls in particular are restricted highest in ICT (70%). Only 5% of surveyed households by parents who often act as gatekeepers to devices. reported owning a laptop or desktop computer. School closures immediately disrupted learning for many students, especially in households without access to digital technology. Three in four families (75%) with children ages 3 to 17 report education being discontinued as a result of the pandemic, and more than 80% of boys and girls report not attending Less than a school for between six to 12 months. During quarter (23%) school closures, the federal ministry and provincial of all households education departments made great efforts to with school-age implement diverse modes of digital learning through the radio, TV, and online platforms. While the children have prompt roll-out of these initiatives was applauded, access to the many of the most marginalized households lacked internet in the adequate infrastructure and/or digital technology, sample districts. hindering student access to remote learning during school closures. MISSING SCHOOL | The Effect of Crises on Students and Teachers in Pakistan | May 2024 4 than boys, who are nearly three times more likely than girls to have access to mobile phones at home (27% compared to 10% respectively), and more than twice as likely to have access to the internet (16% compared to 7% respectively). Although the survey did not explore why parents and caregivers did not Boys are nearly three times more likely allow their daughters or sons to use these devices, than girls to have access to mobile phones the broader evidence base suggests gender norms at home, and more than twice as likely to play an important role in household decision- have access to the internet. making. Indeed, similar studies in South Asia suggest that parents and caregivers often act as ‘gatekeepers’ to technology; they may prohibit their daughters Access to the internet and digital devices at the from using it if they fear it will be used for risky or household level does not always translate into unsafe behavior (Khlaif et al., 2021; Raha et al., 2021; access for students, especially girls. The survey Billah, 2021). These are important considerations captured whether households allow their daughters when designing inclusive and gender-responsive or sons to use mobile phones or the internet. remote education policies for girls and other Findings reveal that girls are much more restricted vulnerable learners. II. Gender-responsive Boys were more likely than girls to be involved in income-generating activities. On average 3% of emergency response plans households reported boys’ involvement in paid labor address educational and and just over 1% of households reported the same for girls. Boys and girls who participate in child labor well-being risks faced spend approximately the same amount of time each by both girls and boys, week: girls an average five hours per week, and boys an average six hours per week. The need to support especially the poor. households in income-generating activities was Time use data reveals that disruptions to schooling among the top reasons that households identified can perpetuate pervasive gender roles for both for boys not returning to school after the pandemic. girls and boys. During the pandemic, girls faced The impact of the pandemic on child labor increased responsibilities to complete household was observed more in rural rather than urban chores, and boys were more at risk of being pushed households, and especially in the province of into child labor and income-generating activities. Balochistan. Less than 1% of girls and just over 2% of These activities interfere with young people’s boys in urban households reported participating in opportunity to participate in learning either at school income-generating activities, compared to 1.5% of or from home. They also create mental and physical girls and over 3% of boys in rural households. stressors for children (and women), as discussed in Section IV. Girls were more likely than boys to report participating in household chores in all sampled districts. On average one in three girls (33%) and one in five boys (20%) reported participating in housework. Girls were also more likely than boys to spend more time on household chores. Among Girls were more likely to participate in those children engaged in housework, girls spent on household chores, while boys were more average 50% more time per day doing this than boys. likely to be involved in paid labor. MISSING SCHOOL | The Effect of Crises on Students and Teachers in Pakistan | May 2024 5 The intersection of socio-economic level, gender, were equally able to access health facilities and and rurality increases young people’s vulnerability safely practice self-isolation and social distancing to the impacts of a crisis. Girls, especially from (Tariq & Bibler, 2020). Insights from interviews rural households, were more likely to drop out of with organisations that work with the Khwaja Sira school after COVID-19. According to the household community suggest that even though the law survey data, 7% of rural households reported that mandates provision of education, often times pre- girls did not return to school after the pandemic, admission documentation and admission forms compared to just 3% reporting the same for do not have an option for third gender or ‘other’, boys. In some communities, more than one in 10 limiting access to education for this gender minority households reported that their daughters did not (Government of Pakistan, 2018). The interviews also return to school once they reopened; for example, show the need to better engage community-based this was observed in Balochistan (11%) and Sindh organizations and form alliances to protect and (15%) – two provinces which are known to already uphold the rights of these vulnerable communities. have precarious education outcomes in the Further, the lack of student data hinders effective country. However, the data suggests that in urban emergency response and decision-making. During areas where the incident of boys attending non- school closures and the implementation of remote government/private schools is higher, more boys did digital learning, there was no mechanism to count not return to schools as households could not afford the number of students reached or time spent to pay school fees. Among the top reason reported interacting with learning content. Discussions with for boys dropping out, was their need to support education authorities reveal data gaps and a need their families in income-generating activities, to strengthen the monitoring and evaluation of pointing again to how poverty intersects with gender the government’s education response. Discussions to create risks to children’s schooling and learning. with key informants suggest that the departments Qualitative data also suggests that the of education did not have just-in-time data on government’s emergency response plans did not teachers, students, and schools to undertake any effectively incorporate a gender, equity, or inclusion geographic mapping and create mechanisms for lens. While school head teachers across all regions home-based learning or any homework distribution commended the policy and administrative measures channels. One way of ensuring this is by issuing taken by the government in terms of school closures unique student identifiers that can provide real-time and ensuring the safety of teachers and students, information on students’ attendance, enrollment, they reported dissatisfaction with the lack of strategy drop out rates, or other factors within the larger to ensure the education continuity of children living education landscape (Boisvert et al, 2020). in underprivileged areas, particularly marginalized Time use data – such as the one captured by our and hard-to-reach communities. According to KIIs survey – can reveal barriers to students’ access to with government officials and policy stakeholders, learning from home, especially in relation to unpaid there was also a lack of substantial gender-focused or paid labor. When schools reopened, education interventions or administrative measures, and the personnel did not have access to information about focus remained on closures and saving lives from the all students; they could not identify who did not spread of COVID-19. return, where they were in the system, or if they The National Action Plan (NAP) for COVID-19 joined a new school. The way student information is comprehensively covers many policy issues and collected, analyzed, and utilized reveals a need for actions that the local and national governments improvement in institutional capacity for evidence- and state departments were instructed to based decision making. Access to quality, up-to- undertake. Several committees were set up when date, complete, and disaggregated data is critical to the government adopted NAP. However, these designing and implementing emergency plans that committees were dominated by men with negligible are responsive to all students’ needs, regardless of representation of women and minority communities. their gender, socio-economic level, or household As a result, the plan did not sufficiently consider location. It is especially important that school leaders the measures needed to ensure that women and have access to this data and are empowered to make other historically marginalized groups, such as decisions so that the design and delivery of remote persons with disabilities and transgender individuals, education can be tailored to the student community. MISSING SCHOOL | The Effect of Crises on Students and Teachers in Pakistan | May 2024 6 III. Vertical coordination At the community level, schools were not adequately equipped or supported in effectively between different tiers of responding to the pandemic. One of the key government is critical to factors mentioned as an obstacle toward improved planning for learning continuity during the pandemic facilitating school support was a lack of budgetary planning and support for for students and families. education continuity of children, particularly for those living in underprivileged areas. This was due to Although the federal and provincial governments the lack of access and affordability of technological of Pakistan responded quickly to the COVID-19 infrastructure required for the uptake of remote pandemic, limited coordination between different learning platforms. Therefore, while the federal tiers of government, in some cases, resulted in and provincial governments responded promptly disconnect between policy and implementation. to mitigate impacts of school closures, there were To cope and respond to the effects of the varied levels of implementation and uptake at the pandemic on the education sector, the Ministry lower tiers of government and community. of Federal Education and Professional Training, along with provincial education departments, This finding is also corroborated by the survey underwent rapid policy planning. All policy-related data. In the ten districts across the provinces and decisions were primarily taken at the federal Federal Areas, less than one in five participating ministerial and provincial education department households (18%) reported receiving support from levels, whereas district tiers were responsible for schools during closures. Figure 1 shows that as few as implementing the decisions and directives. A robust 2% of households in sample districts in Sindh, 4% of communication mechanism was set up to inform households in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and 6% in district departments about the directives received Balochistan confirmed that their children’s schools to be implemented by the school administration. made efforts to continue providing educational However, interviews with district education officers support during the closures. highlighted the need for more engagement and consultation with district education authorities in policy initiatives and the COVID-19 response plan required for effectively designing and proposing solutions to counter education access and remote education delivery challenges at the local level. Figure 1. Households receiving support from schools in sample districts, %* Overall 18 ICT 27 Balochistan 6 KP 4 Sindh 2 Punjab 21 * Differences across provinces and regions are even more pronounced, ranging from only 8% of households to 43% of households reporting access to the Internet. MISSING SCHOOL | The Effect of Crises on Students and Teachers in Pakistan | May 2024 7 Figure 2. Households receiving support from teachers, by student gender, %   Boys visited by their teachers   Girls visited by their teachers Overall 4 3 ICT 3 4 Balochistan 2 1 KP 3 3 Sindh 1 1 Punjab 6 5 0 2 4 6 Teachers in government schools were not given Data and interviews from Punjab suggest more adequate directives for supporting their students autonomy and access to resources at the school during the lockdown. In FGDs, teachers mentioned level in comparison to other provinces. This could that the information about school closures reached be due to the decentralization reforms in Punjab that them via newspaper or news programs on the ensure that all schools councils are functional and television. On the other hand, discussions revealed have access to a non-salary budget (NSB), enabling that there was notably higher involvement of them to meet any school-level needs that may arise teachers in ICT. The teachers in these regions (Government of Punjab, 2019; Bari, et al., 2018). In made a substantial effort to continue teaching and other regions, the limited financial resources and learning by preparing homework for the students autonomy at the school-level also reflected in the and, in many cases, going to their respective houses inadequate teaching and learning environments. to deliver it. This was mentioned during an FGD Education officers at the districts and school head conducted in a sample district and was echoed in teachers reported how investments in masks and the survey results presented above in Figure 2. sanitizers were made, and highlighted the efforts to ensure that students and school personnel strictly Although the government issued a comprehensive followed SOPs of social distancing and face coverings safe school reopening plan and standard operating within the school premises. But discussions procedures (SOPs), it did not allocate SOP-related regarding school water, sanitation, and hygiene funding or earmark budgets to account for teacher (WASH) practices also revealed that WASH facilities and student well-being. The Ministry of National were inadequate once schools were reopened. Health Services issued detailed health guidelines for No research participant, across any of the districts, education institutions reopening during COVID-19, could confirm whether any budget allocation was comprising essential SOPs to be implemented in established for improving WASH facilities in schools. all educational institutions. The Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) endorsed This resulted in challenges in implementing the the health guidelines and shared elaborated WASH guidelines, and ultimately has implications responses to critical questions concerning safe regarding the safety and well-being of students, school reopening, distinctly underlining the role and teachers, and other education personnel. Further, responsibilities of school administration, parents conversations with teachers, education department and teachers to ensure safety and protection of officials, and schools suggest that no policy or plan students while they are at school. Yet not one was designed at the provincial and district level federal, provincial or district education department to ensure mental health support to students or official, school head teacher, or other research teachers in any region or province except for Punjab. participant could share a single instance of adding These findings also reiterate the importance of a COVID-19 SOP-related expenses or an increment multi-sectoral emergency response to adequately in equipment, stationery, teaching and learning, or address the broader health, safety, and well-being budget at the school, district or provincial level. needs of students and teachers, as explored below. MISSING SCHOOL | The Effect of Crises on Students and Teachers in Pakistan | May 2024 8 IV. Beyond sustaining and play with their friends during COVID-19, this compared with only one in three (33%) of girls. This learning, emergency aligns with global evidence that suggests that during responses require a multi- times of crisis, gender norms may restrict girls’ mobility more so than that of boys (UNESCO, 2022b). sectoral approach to center Gender-based violence (GBV) was also a risk factor the well-being of students for both girls and boys; in several provinces’ teachers reported potential cases of domestic violence or and teachers. corporal punishment towards students during While school closures disrupted learning, they also lockdown. contributed to increased anxiety and stress for Schools, teachers and other education personnel both teachers and students. The previous sections were not equipped to support the mental health described the increase in paid or unpaid domestic and well-being needs of students. In FGDs, work experienced by children. Likewise, households teachers exhibited a lack of knowledge about gender reported that both girls and boys experienced protection laws and confidentiality was cited as a mental health stressors, and risks of gender-based major obstacle toward ensuring the psycho-social violence. Teachers – especially women–  also well-being of students. Only the school education experienced increased stress as they tried to manage department in Punjab was noted to have developed increased child-rearing duties and a rapidly changing a school child protection policy to address students’ work environment. Further, households experienced safety and health concerns. In addition, an analysis a loss of income, increased unemployment, and of the perception-based questions on well-being economic shocks that led to increased food and psychosocial support demonstrates a lack of insecurity, and risks to their physical health and understanding around identifying students who nutrition. may be under stress or at-risk. In interviews, DEOs Emergencies increase risks to girls’ and boys’ often associated students’ mental well-being with mental and physical health. Approximately one in their weakening discipline and decorum post-school three households (36% male, 28% female) reported reopening, rather than providing insight on the that their children felt frustrated from being confined stresses, risks and burdens on students or teachers. indoors during lockdown and more than one in three Furthermore, interviews with education department households reported that children had become officials shed light on the lack of knowledge about lazy (36% male, 36% female), bored (39% male, 39% protection against GBV and risks to well-being at female), or ultimately uninterested in their studies the school level. This was also due to perceptions (39% male, 37% female). The lack of recreational that such aspects do not come under the purview activity and social interaction reportedly triggered of education, but rather are the responsibilities of more feelings of stress or anxiety. While 50% of health departments. households reported that boys were able to meet Figure 3. Households’ perceived impact of COVID-19 on time use, % Household responsibilities 69 increased 76 Responsibility of taking care 60 of child increased 75 Responsibility of cooking 29 Teachers – especially at home increased 56 women– also experienced Responsibility of children’s education increased 53 increased stress as they tried 58 Responsibility for to manage increased child- office work increased 34 24 rearing duties and a rapidly Time to watch TV decreased  Men or completely ended 32  Women changing work environment. 43 MISSING SCHOOL | The Effect of Crises on Students and Teachers in Pakistan | May 2024 9 During school closures, parents and The experience of female teachers provides a caregivers – especially mothers – experienced lens through which to understand the burden of increased responsibilities at home, to support their increased domestic work experienced by women children’s education and broader well-being. More during the pandemic. FGDs with teachers indicate than three in four households (76%) reported that that feelings of confinement at home, with increased the pandemic resulted in increased domestic work household responsibilities and limited mobility for women. Figure 3 on the previous page shows the impacted female teachers more than male teachers. perceived impact of the pandemic on women and The exponential increase in technology use also men’s time use. Women are more likely than men to added to the stress of teachers who reported not be affected by an increase in all types of household receiving adequate resources or training to adopt responsibilities, including childcare, cooking, and these methods easily. In addition, most survey providing educational support to children. Indeed, respondents, and male and female teachers 58% of female respondents reported increased participating in FGDs, could not recall measures responsibility for children’s education during implemented at the school level to support their COVID-19 compared to 53% of male respondents. own well-being and safety. This finding resonates Interestingly, the findings suggest that the with the broader literature on the pandemic’s impact responsibility for children’s education increased the on teachers, especially female teachers (Shaukat et most for female respondents in urban areas (61%) al., 2022), and working mothers (Kalsoom, 2022) in and least for male respondents in urban areas (51%). Pakistan. It also echoes global literature on teacher well-being and the need to provide teachers with This shows how at times of crisis, when state mental health and psychosocial support in times of delivery mechanisms are disrupted, the burden crisis (INEE, 2022). of education provision – often already placed on women – becomes exacerbated. Men, on the other The economic shocks of the pandemic also created hand, were more likely to experience increased increased stress for families. The majority of responsibility for office work. This may be because households in all participating districts reported men were more likely to participate in office work a loss of income as a result of the pandemic, with prior to the pandemic. Importantly, most men significant differences across provinces. Figure 4 (60%) also report an increase in time spent on suggests that although a similar proportion of rural household chores and child-rearing duties. This is and urban households reported a loss of income, the likely explained by the fact that men were staying districts most affected by a perceived loss of income home more due to the pandemic lockdowns; it may were Punjab (78%), ICT (75%) and KP (74%). On the not suggest a shift in gender roles. Women were also other hand, just over half (54%) of households in more likely than men to report a loss of time spent Balochistan reported experiencing a loss of income. watching TV or relaxing. Figure 4. Impact of the pandemic on unemployment and household income 43  Unemployment Urban average 69 of at least one member 45  Perceived Rural average 69 decrease in household ICT 34 income 75 Sindh 45 62 Punjab 34 78 KP 66 74 Balochistan 38 54 MISSING SCHOOL | The Effect of Crises on Students and Teachers in Pakistan | May 2024 10 The differential impacts of COVID-19 on food Of the households that did receive assistance, about insecurity are more evident across geographies 42% reported receiving only a one-time grant of than across genders. Male and female household 12,000 rupees (equivalent to USD $42) from the Ehsaas members reported experiencing food insecurity Program, launched in response to COVID-19. The at similar levels during the pandemic; however, other programs that households reported receiving significant differences were observed across assistance from include the Benazir Income Support districts. For example, while almost all households Programme (BISP) (25%), regular Ehsaas Program (17%) experienced a reduction of food consumption as a and the Sehat Sahulat Program (11%).2 Households in result of the pandemic, this was felt most in districts rural areas were more likely than those in urban areas to of Punjab and Balochistan. Survey data also suggests have benefited from national social safety net programs that more urban than rural households became (58% compared to 49%). These results echo an ILO (2021) vulnerable to food insecurity during the pandemic. report, which notes that in Pakistan, the coverage of This is likely due to the fact that frequency of food poverty-targeted schemes such as BISP and Ehsaas can consumption was already reportedly less in rural be improved. households than in urban households. Indeed, based These findings point to the need for more robust on available estimates, poverty is more than twice as horizontal coordination and planning between high in rural areas (31%) than in urban areas (13%) of different departments – such as health, nutrition, Pakistan (World Bank, 2019). Global literature on the WASH, child and social protection. This can help pandemic also suggests that urban and peri-urban leverage all available resources to ensure a well- communities were hit hardest by economic shocks integrated, holistic response to a crisis that is not only of the pandemic (Tabadlab, 2021). limited to recovering learning, but also recognizes how Despite government efforts, stimulus packages and intertwined and linked effective learning is to the safety social protection programs did not always reach and well-being of teachers and students. the most vulnerable. Survey data suggests that the majority of houses did not receive support from the government or other public or private institutes. Approximately 45% of households in sample districts confirmed that they did not receive any assistance (financial or non-financial) from any organization, as illustrated in Figure 5. More than half of sample 2 The Benazir Income Support Program’s (BISP) Unconditional Cash households in Punjab and Balochistan did not Transfers has been a social protection program in Pakistan providing receive any support from either government, private unconditional cash transfers to poor households since 2008. In 2021, the government launched a one-time 12,000-rupee cash transfer to or non-governmental institutions. households in-response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Figure 5. Households not receiving any assistance in sample districts, % Average 45 ICT 82 Punjab 54 Balochistan 51 KP 40 Sindh 14 MISSING SCHOOL | The Effect of Crises on Students and Teachers in Pakistan | May 2024 11 V. Conclusion and Recommendations The education system’s response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan provide valuable lessons for responding to future crises. This note highlights how vulnerabilities within the system could be strengthened to be more responsive to the needs of the most marginalized learners and teachers. It also reiterates the importance of planning ahead and building flexibility and inclusivity within the system to ensure a timely, targeted response during times of crises. Even though Pakistan’s education response in the form of deploying distance learning, ensuring health and safety protocols, and closing schools due to COVID-19 was lauded globally, this note puts forth the following recommendations that would enable a more effective and inclusive response to the COVID-19 pandemic and future crises, not only in Pakistan but globally. 1. Strengthen data collection and use. Data that is disaggregated by socio-economic 2. Empower lower tiers of governments and school leaders to improve service level, household location, and student or teacher delivery and ownership. gender – amongst other variables – can help decision-makers identify relevant needs and When school leaders are equipped with resources, opportunities when designing education response capacity, and data to make informed decisions, plans and policies. Data collection processes and they can design remote education responses systems must be strengthened, including through according to the needs of school communities. A the use of rigorous and timely needs assessments good example of this is the decentralization reforms when a crisis strikes, and by ensuring that data that have been put in place in Punjab to empower collection tools capture a range of data points, school management and provide funds through a including access to technology, other assets, and non-salary budget for schools. Additional solutions services, perceptions of government response, may include: developing a school or community time use, health, and protection data. Data sharing contingency plan that clearly articulates established across government sectors is vital for effective arrangements, roles and responsibilities to enable emergency response. It is also important that time timely, effective and appropriate responses to and resources are dedicated to the analysis and potential emergencies; providing capacity building dissemination of data and evidence, to ensure and training for school leaders and district-level education stakeholders, including governments authorities to respond to emergencies; or allocating at the national and subnational level, as well as funds and resources to emergency response at the school leaders, are able to properly use the data for district level. informed decision-making. MISSING SCHOOL | The Effect of Crises on Students and Teachers in Pakistan | May 2024 12 3. Diversify remote education responses, and train teachers and parents on how to Access to high quality facilitate home learning. data is critical for emergency Given the large rural-urban disparity in access to educational technology and the Internet, effective plans that are education response plans must include low-tech responsive to all and paper-based options for students from poorer students’ needs. or rural households. Investments in developing infrastructure to support distance learning in lagging districts should be accompanied by ongoing training and support for teachers and parents to implement distance learning measures and facilitate home learning effectively. Training for teachers may address how to effectively implement remote teaching and assessment, how to adapt curriculum and pedagogy for vulnerable learners, and/or how to effectively engage and communicate with parents to 5. support their children’s home learning and/or return to school. Engage diverse stakeholders while planning, 4. Strengthen multi-sectoral implementing, monitoring, or collaboration and ensure a evaluating education response whole-of-government approach. plans, including emergency In times of crises, it is critical that the education response or recovery plans. sector works together with health, WASH, child To ensure all education plans center the needs of protection, social protection, social welfare, disaster those most at-risk, it is of paramount importance management and other sectors to adequately to consult and meaningfully engage diverse address the learning and broader wellbeing stakeholders along the policy lifecycle. Women needs of students and teachers. This includes, for and girls, children from vulnerable households, example, strengthening schools’ abilities to create transgender communities, or other minority groups safe environments that align with health protocols, (including learners with disabilities and others who as well as addressing specific challenges faced by were not in the scope of this study), can help inform some teachers and students, such as GBV or paid the design of relevant, effective, inclusive, sustainable and unpaid child labor. To effectively respond to education plans. To do this, a variety of tools and emergencies, education sector plans and especially methods can be used, including pulse surveys, focus emergency response plans must clearly articulate group discussions, or consultation workshops to the responsibilities of different sectors and capture perceptions on an emergency response at government institutes, as well as how cross-sectoral a given point in time. Accessible and confidential collaboration will be coordinated. Governments grievance mechanisms during emergencies can can also establish platforms and mechanisms for help identify issues of child protection or GBV, and regular communication and coordination, including, the establishment of an Advisory Committee with for example, the establishment of an emergency diverse representatives from the community can response task force or intergovernmental support in ensuring that engagement is sustained committee that oversees decision-making from emergency response to recovery. processes in times of crisis. MISSING SCHOOL | The Effect of Crises on Students and Teachers in Pakistan | May 2024 13 Methodology The study was conducted in sample districts in Pakistan during the months of August to October 2022 to assess the gendered impacts of COVID-19 on the health, well-being and safety of teachers and students. The study employed a mixed methods approach, incorporating quantitative and qualitative research techniques to explore aspects such as access to education (during school closures and after schools reopened), education service delivery, institutional capacity and responsiveness, gender risks, roles, 4,000 burdens, and perception-based analysis of mental Households surveyed in 10 districts and psychological well-being. The study was conducted in 10 districts that were participants also included teachers (20 FGDs with selected nationwide, two per province and two for male and female teachers), school administrations federal areas. Using the Index of Deprivation (IDE), (20 KIIs with school leaders), government officials districts with relatively high levels of deprivation (16 KIIs with officials at the federal, provincial and in education as per IDE in provinces were district levels), policy stakeholders (three KIIs) and identified for the survey. Therefore, the results organisations working with vulnerable communities of the study are not representative of provincial (three KIIs). Of the 4,000 survey respondents, 71% realities, but rather provide a picture of regions were female (average age 39 years), 56% were more disadvantaged in the country. The districts housewives and did not work for pay, and most included in the study are Upper Dir and Torghar respondents did not have a background of formal (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Muzaffargarh and Rahim schooling. Yar Khan (Punjab), Badin and Tharparkar (Sindh), While the study explored how COVID-19 exacerbated Jaffarabad and Sibi (Balochistan), Nagar, and inequalities in these provinces based on socio- Islamabad Capital Territory. economic level, household location, and gender, Primary data collection took place at the level the research instruments did not capture other of households (4,000 household surveys, 400 characteristics of vulnerability, such as disability, households per district allocated proportionately language, ethnicity, religion, or refugee status. 30:70 for urban and rural locations). Research In the sample: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS | The authors of this Special Note would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training (MoFEPT), Government of Pakistan and 71% female AASA Consulting, the firm commissioned for data collection. We also extend our appreciation to the provincial education departments for their expertise and diligent work on this study, as well as the 30% urban Global Partnership for Education (GPE), which funded the COVID-19 Response, Recovery and Resilience in Education Project (RRREP) that 70% rural funded this study. Finally, we thank Elena Roseo and Maryem Rahim who provided guidance and support to the implementation of RRREP on behalf of the World Bank. Lastly, we thank all individuals 29% male and organizations who participated in the research, without whom this note would not have been possible. MISSING SCHOOL | The Effect of Crises on Students and Teachers in Pakistan | March 2024 14 REFERENCES ASER. (2022). Lahore, Pakistan: Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA). NDMA. (2017). Pakistan School Safety Framework (PSSF). Islamabad, Pakistan: National Disaster Management Bari, F., Malik, R., & Nadeem, F. (2018). Revision of the Non-Salary Authority (NDMA) Government of Pakistan. Budget Formula. 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