The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges for education systems and students worldwide, particularly impacting vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. In response, OECD education systems implemented a variety of new policies and practices to address these challenges. As the pandemic subsides, there is an urgent need to evaluate the effectiveness of these measures. This assessment is crucial for guiding education systems beyond the pandemic, identifying which policies are worth sustaining, and addressing remaining challenges.

In addition, increasing rates of student absenteeism and dropouts pose significant concerns for education systems across the OECD. For many, this trend has exacerbated since the COVID-19 pandemic. It is vital for education systems to share insights on these challenges, foster discussions about effective strategies to address them, and evaluate the efficacy of current approaches.

This Policy Brief draws on evidence from the 2023 “Survey on equity and inclusion in education post COVID-19” developed by the Education for Inclusive Societies Project to address two main questions:

• Which policies and practices have been evaluated and maintained by education systems post-pandemic?

• Are education systems seeing rises in absences and dropouts? How are they responding to these challenges?