Are Educational Standards Declining? A Comparison Study Before and After COVID-19 in Europe

Abstract

In recent years, the educational sector has been a subject of review by experts and stakeholders within the analysis of each country’s future economy. Such advocacies have revolved around the appreciation of education by policymakers including educators, parents, and students, as well as the development of skills needed to navigate the work in the 21st century. This research was interested in understanding the facts and trends relating to whether there is a decline in the educational level in Europe. The research stems from the underlying facts centred on the decline in educational attainment in the world. Hence, it became relevant to examine the pattern of education within Europe by comparing the educational level in Europe before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. With specific consideration of the social and human capital theories, the research selected various metrics within the field of education to achieve its goals and objectives. In addition, the data were sourced and retrieved from ourworldindata.org and World Bank databases on educational metrics like literacy rate and socio-economic indicators such as unemployment rate from 2018 to 2022. Data were analysed using SPSS and findings revealed that there was no significant correlation between the socio-economic factors and literacy rate changes. Moreover, their literacy rate has improved when comparing the figures before and after the pandemic. Future studies can explore the underlying policies that have prompted equity and resilience in the European educational system.