Europe’s Schools in the Coronavirus Pandemic – A Country Comparison

Comparing coronavirus-related school closures in Germany with six selected countries in Europe in the period from January 2020 to May 2021, Germany ranks second for the length of school closures, with a total of 183 days. Only schools in Poland closed for longer, with a total of 273 days. In tackling the challenge of switching to distance learning, the starting point – schools’ pre-pandemic level of digitalization – is an important factor: when it comes to online learning platforms and resources or preparation time for using digital devices in the classroom, Germany ranks last.