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Education of Generation Z
Schooling of those born between the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2010s / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Generation Z (or Gen Z for short), colloquially also known as zoomers,[1][2] is the demographic cohort succeeding Millennials and preceding Generation Alpha.[3] Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1990s as starting birth years and the early 2010s as ending birth years.[4] This article focuses specifically on the education of Generation Z.
Across the globe, Gen Z has generally high enrollment in primary schools in both developed and developing countries.[5]
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has supported research on educational spending and achievement in its 36 member states, and found that while spending increased in the early 2000s, academic performance has largely stagnated. Students from China and Singapore, both outside of the OECD, continued to outperform their peers. The OECD attributes socioeconomic background as a key factor in academic success, however, some countries demonstrate a weak link between background and performance, meaning these countries have the most equitable education systems.[6]
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the education of around one and a half billion students, as schools in 165 countries closed their doors and 60 million teachers were sent home, according to UNESCO.[7] Schools were partially or fully closed for nearly 80% of instruction time during the first year of the pandemic.[8] Some countries expanded access to the internet in remote areas or broadcast more educational materials on national television.[7] This wasn't an option in all contexts as internet access varied significantly and about two-thirds of people under the age of 25 around the world didn't have access to the internet at home.[8]
In the early 2000s, the number of students from emerging economies going abroad for higher education rose significantly. This was a golden age of growth for many Western universities admitting international students.[9] However, COVID-19 ended this golden age.[9]
This article expands on the education of Gen Z, including global trends and additional information for Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania.