The interaction between learning, mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal mixed-methods study in Ethiopia

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly disrupted education and exacerbated mental health challenges in Ethiopia, where prolonged school closures and limited access to remote learning have disproportionately affected vulnerable populations. This paper investigates the experiences of primary school students during pandemic-related school closures and reopening, and the consequences this had on their learning, mental health, and wellbeing. It combines quantitative data from over 2000 students tracked from Grades 4–6, together with qualitative data from in-depth interviews with a subsample of these students who experienced a decrease in their learning during this time. Our quantitative data show that 42 percent of students in the sample experienced a decline in numeracy test scores following school closures, with an average loss of 10 percentage points. Students with lower self-reported mental health and wellbeing, as well as those from the poorest families, were disproportionately affected—about 12 % more likely to experience learning loss than peers with better mental health or from wealthier families. Our qualitative findings highlight key factors that shaped students’ experiences, including a lack of access to learning resources, increased household responsibilities, economic hardships, and heightened stress due to uncertainty about the future. Girls were more likely to have been involved in domestic work activities, which left them with less time to spend on education. Our findings point to the need for targeted interventions to support the specific needs of students most affected by crises, focusing on both their academic learning and their mental health and wellbeing.