Education in the pandemic: Widening the pre-existing gaps

Abstract

This essay has been conducted because there has been a registered strong impact of the pandemic on education and, particularly, on educational equity. It is about how socio-economic gaps harm educational equity, quality and performance. It aims to reflect on the situation of the Costa Rican and international education system before and during the Covid-19 pandemic, focusing on how this crisis influences pre-existing educational gaps according to the socioeconomic condition of people, for which results of recent socioeconomic and sociocognitive research (primarily from the last 10 years) are reviewed. First, the issue of educational inequality prior to the pandemic was addressed, then a set of factors that serve to understand the socio-educational gaps related to academic performance were identified and the case of the results of the baccalaureate tests according to the socioeconomic condition of students is presented as a reflection of such gaps in the Costa Rican case. Then it inquired about the impact of the pandemic on education. Finally, some conclusive reflections are offered based on the information collected and analyzed. It is proposed that the current pandemic crisis will widen the pre-existing socio-educational gaps, since students and families in poverty and lack of resources have insufficient material and personal conditions to face it and avoid a growing educational backwardness.