Learning Lost, Futures at Risk: Addressing the Long-Term Impact of Pandemic Learning Gaps with High-Dosage Tutoring

When the Bell Rang, No One Came In a quiet barangay elementary school in South Mindanao, a Grade 5 teacher noticed something alarming. Out of her 40 students, only 12 could read at grade level—three years after the pandemic lockdowns began. The rest? Still decoding basic syllables, many unable to write complete sentences. This isn’t just a classroom problem—it’s a national crisis. Across the globe, education systems are still reeling from the impact of COVID-19, and the Philippines is no exception. School closures lasted nearly two years here—among the longest in the world. While the country managed to adapt through modular and remote learning, many students fell behind, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. We now face a pressing, long-term challenge: pandemic-induced learning loss . Background & Context: The Silent Slide According to the World Bank, pandemic learning loss could result in today’s generation of students losing $17 trillion in lifetime earnings glob...