(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) Several colleges and universities reported that students arriving at the schools struggled with basic math, likely due to extended online learning throughout the pandemic lockdowns.
George Mason University, Temple University and many other schools said their newer students appeared to struggle with 9th grade math and must go back and learn the basics, according to a report by the Daily Wire.
This year’s college freshman would have started their freshman year of high school in 2019, just as the COVID pandemic started. Some school officials reported that engineering and biology majors couldn’t handle very basic mathematical concepts, such as fractions and exponents.
George Mason University announced that record-low numbers of students placed in calculus, and many of those who made it into the course failed out.
“This is a huge issue,” Maria Emelianenko, chair of George Mason’s math department, told the Associated Press. “We’re talking about college-level pre-calculus and calculus classes, and students cannot even add one-half and one-third.”
Many students reported learning gaps through the virtual schooling of the pandemic.
“I didn’t have a hands-on, in-person class, and the information wasn’t really there,” said GMU student Diego Fonseca. “I really struggled when it came to higher-level algebra because I just didn’t know anything.”
Temple University revealed similar problems in their math department.
“It’s not just that they’re unprepared, they’re almost damaged,” said math chair Brian Rider. “I hate to use that term, but they’re so behind.”
Studies in school districts across the country revealed historic and worrisome learning loss as a result of lockdowns and virtual schooling.
Average test scores fell 4 points in reading and 9 points in math in comparison to the 2019-2020 school year.
Another report indicated that children between ages four and seven at the time of the lockdowns were 52% more likely to suffer from developmental issues.
Despite these abysmal failures, people dubbed President Joe Biden as the “education president.”
Teachers unions also tried to cover up the decline in test scores by claiming that learning loss simply made all of the students “equal,” providing a level playing field between racial demographics.
