Measuring the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Learning Loss: Evidence from Ho Municipality, Ghana

Introduction: This article investigates the effects of school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic on the math and science test scores of basic school students in Ho Municipality, Ghana. Methods: The study used data collected from four schools: two public schools with 286 students and two private schools with 253 students, for the period 2018–2021. STATA (version 17.0) was used for the main analysis. Further, the data were analyzed by comparing the pre-COVID-19 years (2018 and 2019) to the COVID-19 years (2020 and 2021). The data collection procedure followed ethical guidelines and data protection regulations, with permission and authorization granted by the relevant educational authorities. This study establishes that COVID-19 negatively impacted the test results of students, reducing math scores by 25% and science scores by 6.8%. Public schools were the most affected, with a 23% reduction in math scores and a 39% reduction in science scores. Results: These findings suggest a drop in student performance due to the increased impact of the pandemic. Conclusion: The study recommends that educational institutions invest in and enhance remote learning programs, such as by developing interactive online platforms, providing learning materials, and training educators to deliver effective virtual instruction.