Exploring educational trends and challenges in the MENA region amidst a global crisis: An empirical analysis of the pandemic’s impact on SDG4

Abstract

The paper presents a cross-country analysis of seven countries in the MENA region and explores the effects of COVID-19 on educational policymaking. The paper uses a quasi-thematic literature review to highlight the emerging themes related to the quality of education during the pandemic. The paper investigates the educational trends in seven MENA region countries and provides descriptive analysis to understand if there were changes from 2016 to 2020. In order to investigate these trends, the study uses the conceptualization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4) “Quality of education.” The analysis is based on the data from the World Bank Development indicators. The paper’s evidence identifies a difference in the level of government expenditure on education within the MENA region. Pre and during COVID-19 provides crucial insights such as all countries increased their government expenditure on education except Egypt and Bahrain. The paper further addresses the contributing factors to the educational gaps in the region, such as digital exclusion, inequality (income and gender), and the government’s budget constraints during the pandemic. This study presents recommendations to bridge these identified gaps in the post-pandemic era.