Since the start of the pandemic, schools around the world have closed their doors to students to prevent the spread of the virus. This meant that many students began homeschooling, requiring significant efforts on behalf of students, parents, and teachers alike. In many countries, schools deliver teaching remotely, including via digital learning software, live Zoom classes, YouTube videos, and printable worksheets. Whilst this approach has been useful in limiting the spread of the virus, it has unfortunately led to other harmful issues.

IMPACT ON LEARNING

According to The Office for National Statistics, based in the UK, 52% of parents in Great Britain say their children are struggling with homeschooling, with a lack of motivation being a major contributing factor alongside a lack of guidance and support. This highlights how school-aged children face negative impacts on their learning and education without effective support from their teachers. Although many schools attempt to provide online lessons, not all students have the privilege of a quiet, empty space where they can concentrate on lessons. Furthermore, many students face struggles with accessing the right technology. Whilst only 9% of parents said their child was struggling due to a lack of devices, this was found to be higher in households with only one adult, highlighting inequities in single-parent households. Having a child aged 0-4-years-old in the house also had an impact on the results. Older children with siblings aged 0-4 years were found to be struggling due to caring or monitoring responsibilities (39%) or a lack of quiet space for studying (41%).

This data highlights multiple factors causing inequalities amongst students relating to their education. The impact of this can be long-lasting, as a poorer education can lead to fewer career prospects in the future. Thus, those who are in a privileged position in terms of homeschooling at the moment may have an advantage in reaching higher paying positions in the future, exacerbating existing inequalities and making it harder for children from disadvantaged backgrounds to improve their circumstances.

It has also been found that the subjects students need the most help with are not being delivered effectively online. Test scores have fallen sharply in maths, which requires regular guidance from teachers and is prioritised by both employers and higher education providers. It has also been seen that students are receiving less support from teachers, who are providing more written than oral feedback compared to regular school. These issues have led to worsening results amongst low-achieving students, raising concerns that this will be difficult to reverse when schools reopen for good.

IMPACT ON WELLBEING

School closures and homeschooling have also had a big impact on students’ mental health and wellbeing. 64% of children aged 16-18 in full-time education thought that homeschooling would negatively affect their future life plans, whilst 43% of parents agreed this was negatively affecting their children’s wellbeing. Despite lower risks of passing on the virus, school closures have still caused increasing levels of anxiety and depression amongst young people. The potential for child abuse and neglect has also raised concerns, as has the risk of many children going hungry who would normally rely on free school meals. It is estimated that homeschooling will have “a disastrous impact on those living in poverty, some in cramped conditions, suffering abuse,” compared to those in more privileged positions.

Furthermore, many families live on estates in close proximity to “drugs, gang culture and violence”. With children staying home from school, there is an increased risk that they may fall into these traps. This means that children are not only at risk of falling behind academically, but that these negative impacts of homeschooling will be almost impossible to reverse. Lord Simon Woolley of Operation Black Vote argues that “[t]he government's focus on 'white working class' children at the expense of nearly 60% of BAME children living in poverty is deeply troubling”. Given that there is currently no specific incentive aimed at supporting those from disadvantaged sociological backgrounds, Rabina Khan, the Liberal Democrat Councillor for Shadwell, has suggested that financial support for extra online tuition, additional educational programmes, and mentoring is needed to raise children’s expectations and aspirations—especially those from ethnic minority or low socioeconomic backgrounds.

IMPACT ON PARENTS

The effects of homeschooling are not limited to children. 67% of women and 52% of men have taken charge of their child’s education at home. Whilst parents were generally dividing homeschooling responsibilities between them, women spent much more time feeding, washing, and dressing children. Furthermore, 53% of women reported that they were struggling with homeschooling, and this had a negative impact on their wellbeing, with only 45% of men reporting the same. This highlights how parents have also faced difficulties with their wellbeing whilst homeschooling, and many have struggled to balance this with their own work responsibilities. Again, this can lead to inequalities for those in single-parent households, as responsibilities cannot be divided amongst adults. Parents have also reported low confidence in their ability to homeschool their children, with only 45% feeling as though they are able to cope with the workload.

EXACERBATING EXISTING INEQUALITIES

It is important to note that the inequalities and negative effects of homeschooling have not just arisen due to the pandemic and school closures.

“Educational inequalities are a feature of schools, too,” argues Martin Myers, whose research shows that the inequalities which arise from homeschooling often stem from other inequalities within schools. One example of this is known as "off-rolling," whereby schools informally ask parents to homeschool their children who are considered "difficult" pupils. Ofsted, an education inspection body in the UK, has found that off-rolling commonly occurs in cases involving children with behavioural issues, poor attendance, or special educational needs. It has also been found that children most likely to be off-rolled were from ethnic minority and low socioeconomic backgrounds. Myers also states that for many families, homeschooling their children is not a choice, but rather a response to external problems. A common example includes families who feel they have no choice but to homeschool their children due to experiences of racism in schools that refuse to acknowledge that racism exists in their institution.

Additionally, there are suggestions that students from ethnic minority, poor, and state school backgrounds were most anxious that exam cancellations would negatively impact their grades. These concerns were raised prior to the A-level grade moderation scandal, in which those from disadvantaged backgrounds received worse results whilst students from private schools benefitted from higher grades. This highlights how educational inequalities are not a novel aspect of the coronavirus pandemic, but rather this crisis has simply exacerbated existing inequalities.

THE BRIGHT SIDE

Some would argue that despite these drawbacks, there are certain benefits to learning from home. Research has shown that students benefit from the initiative, self-discipline, and creativity that can be gained through homeschooling. It also carries the benefit of flexibility, as students are able to choose which subjects they want to learn and progress through the material at their own pace. “It also gives them time to study what interests them, discovering and developing new talents.”

However, given the issues that have been highlighted in this article, it seems that these benefits are likely to be gained by those in more privileged environments who have the resources and space to effectively continue their education from home.

GLOBAL IMPACT

The global impact of homeschooling means that “for millions of students, school closures will not be temporary interference with their education, but the abrupt end of it”.

A 125-page report by Human Rights Watch, titled “Years Don’t Wait for Them: Increased Inequalities in Children’s Right to Education Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic,” documents how Covid-related school closures affect children unequally across countries, as many governments do not have the ability to cater to their students’ specific needs. The report highlights specific examples of these inequalities, including a mother of seven in Lagos, Nigeria, who was told by teachers to buy a smartphone for online learning. However, having lost her income when the university where she cleaned shut down, she could not afford to feed her family, never mind pay for a smartphone and internet access. Another example is a 16-year-old student from Garissa, Kenya, who said that her school offered no guidance on how to study during school closures. When she tried to get in touch with a teacher, he said he would not be able to go to anyone’s home, but that students were welcome to come to his house. However, as many girls were afraid of going to his house, it was mainly male students who benefitted from this assistance, whilst girls fell behind in their education.

These are just a couple of examples of how school closures and homeschooling during the pandemic have unequally affected children around the globe. It is imperative that governments in all countries learn lessons from the pandemic and implement measures to ensure that no child is left behind, regardless of their background, and regardless of a global health crisis. 

This article was written as part of the Human Rights Pulse Writer’s Workshop programme.

Tanya is a Law student heading into the final year of her degree at the University of Manchester. She is interested in bringing attention to human rights issues arising from her Pro-Bono work at University (volunteering at the Legal Advice Centre and taking part in volunteering projects). Her main goal is to become a Barrister practising in either Criminal or Family Law.

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