Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, most governments worldwide have implemented policies to contain the disease's spread. While incurring high economic costs, restrictive procedures such as schools closures and the changes of learning methods risk hindering effective learning during the pandemic and the progress made towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4).

Up-to-date information on the impacts of policy interventions and responses at the global level is needed to support subsequent educational planning and programming to deploy effective learning strategies. The Survey of National Education Responses to COVID-19, jointly conducted by UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank, and most recently the OECD, has collected information on the shifting education landscape through two iterations in 2020 which was captured in an initial report available in English and French. Responses to the third iteration in February-April 2021 are captured in the current joint report. The survey is coordinated and administered by the UNESCO Institute of Statistics.

Executive Summaries of the 2nd report are available in the Related Links box on the right in the indicated languages.