Students may experience scarring from education disruptions. Scarring is a condition where a disruption has long-term effects, even on earnings as adults. Simulations show that school closures due to COVID-19 may result in worse learning losses than those accumulated during regular school breaks. This loss of schooling can have long-term effects on wages. All students face a high risk of scarring.

COVID-19 will significantly increase poverty in Indonesia. This would cause physical and emotional stresses, and inability to learn during school closures. Students from poor families or with adverse home conditions face an even higher risk of scarring. Recovering these learning losses as school reopens is key.

This note contains: (i) guidelines for recovering learning losses; (ii) aspects that should be monitored as schools reopen; (iii) list of educational practices for learning catch up for all students.