Distance Learning Exit Economic Model

1. Introduction

The introduction should briefly place the study in a broad context and highlight why it is important. It should define the purpose of the work and its significance. The current state of the research field should be carefully reviewed and key publications cited. Please highlight controversial and diverging hypotheses when necessary. Finally, briefly mention the main aim of the work and highlight the principal conclusions. As far as possible, please keep the introduction comprehensible to scientists outside your particular field of research. References should be numbered in order of appearance and indicated by a numeral or numerals in square brackets—e.g., [1] or [2,3], or [4,5,6]. See the end of the document for further details on references.

2. Materials and Methods

During the study, the impact of distance learning on students, teachers, and parents was evaluated using a questionnaire survey in various aspects such as students' knowledge level, intelligence, socialization skills, mental and physical health, and intelligence. In order to more accurately evaluate the impact on students' knowledge, the student learning achievements, the dynamics of referrals to psychologists, and the dynamics of reported health problems were also assessed. We used the Wechsler short-scale personalized data of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 obtained from the conducted research to evaluate the impact on student intelligence.

The literature analysis and multi-level/stage focus groups with experts and representatives of government authorities and management institutions were used for creating the model.

We used reliable statistical data to evaluate the financing volume and performed calculations comparing the financing volume with the GDP of the countries.

Also, we evaluated the need for funding to implement the developed model of exit from distance learning by considering the amount of time devoted to solving problems and assessing the cost of the time dedicated to the example of Lithuania.

3. Results

The experts and members of the European Commission's European Expert Network on Economics of Education (EENEE), K. De Witte and M. Smet, analyzed the additional economic aspects that emerged and were caused by the pandemic. Also, they presented the amounts of allocated additional funding differentiated by student age respectively (see Table 1), where, e.g., in Belgium, the regions of Flander and Wallonia, in 2021-2022, the total additional costs amounted to 353 million euros (Witte and Smet, 2021):

Based on the statistical information given in Table 1, we can see that the Netherlands allocated the most significant funds to control the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, i.e., 9.145 billion euros. Lithuania was in second place, having allocated - 1,355.66 billion euros or 3,577.7 euros per student/teacher, which, applying a conversion into hours, equals 357.77 hours with an additional 8 hours per week for a student. It allows concluding that the entire program for eliminating the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic would take more than 11 months.

Other authors classify cost information into the following categories:

• General financing (GEN);
• Financing for purchasing IT equipment (ICT);
• Investment in infrastructure (INF);
• Prevention and protective measures (PRE);
• Recruitment of additional teachers, bonus remuneration for teachers (TEA);
• Summer programs (SUM);

Student counseling and support (COU).

Table 2 shows that the most common category of costs is ICT, which means that funds are allocated for acquiring portable laptops, tablets, better high-speed internet access, and other IT equipment and overall improved ICT infrastructure at schools. Another common category is "Recruitment of additional teachers" or "Additional teacher training" (TEA in the table above).

On the other hand, some study authors noted that although, in theory, an ICT-based education had great potential, advantages, and opportunities for differentiation, learning methods, and feedback; however, a long-time application of distance learning caused various problems resulting in undermined learning outcomes (Iterbeke et al., 2020).

Table 3. Growth of additional costs per student.

Country	Growth of additional costs per student percentage
Belgium (Flanders)	4.82%
Belgium (Wallonia)	0.43%
Estonia	4.77%
Finland	1.59%
Greece	2.16%
Italy	3.96%
Lithuania	0.68%
Malta	9.15%
Netherlands	32.22%
Portugal	13.55%
Romania	0.80%
Slovakia	0.05%
AVERAGE	3.06%

Table 3. Growth of additional costs per student.

Country	Growth of additional costs per student percentage
Belgium (Flanders)	4.82%
Belgium (Wallonia)	0.43%
Estonia	4.77%
Finland	1.59%
Greece	2.16%
Italy	3.96%
Lithuania	0.68%
Malta	9.15%
Netherlands	32.22%
Portugal	13.55%
Romania	0.80%
Slovakia	0.05%
AVERAGE	3.06%

Notably, the evaluation and measurements of students' knowledge levels done after the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic did not show such a significant decline. However, the subsequent measurements of the student's knowledge level indicated a more substantial reduction in the knowledge level. Due to this fact, according to other authors, from September 2020, human capital formation was linked to income (Chetty, 2014), employment (Currie and Thomas, 2001), and general well-being (Hanushek and Woessmann, 2020). According to Kaffenberger, theoretical models show that a decrease in student knowledge level was observed later over time (Kaffenberger, 2020).

The experts of the European Commission, K. De Witte and M. Smet, stated that the funding allocated to eliminate the damage caused by distance learning to students was insufficient (Witte and Smet, 2021).

In addition, it is also shall be noted that when assigning additional funds to students to eliminate and fight the damage caused by distance learning, financial allocations in most European countries were very limited:

According to the allocated funds as a percentage of GDP to solve the problem, Lithuania stands out, having allocated more than twice of funds (1.93%) compared to others, but this, however, was not sufficient to overcome the challenges. Slovakia allocated the least funds (0.002 %) (World Bank, 2002) (Table 4).

The evaluation of the emerging challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic cleared a need for creating a model for the distance learning (re)organization that could help eliminate the negative impact of the coronavirus on the student's education, physical and mental health, and socialization (Table 5).

Moreover, it should be noted that when comparing the increase in funding with the previous one in 2017, the highest growth was observed in the Netherlands, while Lithuania being in second place, dropped sharply towards the end of the list (Table 3):

Taking international practice and research into account, we created a distance learning exit model to eliminate the damage caused by distance learning to students' knowledge, mental and physical health, as well as students IQ. In the case of Lithuania, we also evaluated the need for funding to implement this model.

Notably, the increase in financing after the pandemic period in Lithuania was minimal, and compared to the previous period, it went up by only 0.68 %. Based on the evaluation of the common need for funds results by applying the model created as the example of Lithuania, the funding per student amounts to 6,795 euros when calculating the teacher's salary at 10 euros per hour. According to the 2023 data in Lithuania, there were 344,420 students in 2022-2023.

Therefore, considering this fact and in order to apply the created exit model to eliminate the pandemic-caused adverse consequences in education, a total of 2,340,333,900 euros would be needed for the entire number of students.

4. Discussion

Many countries researched in this study did not divide the problems caused by the coronavirus into stages and therefore allocated the funds to general financing (GEN). The funding was often directed to facilitating access to distance learning, i.e., purchasing IT equipment for distance learning, creating programs, etc. Notably, this was also distinguished by the majority of analyzed authors and the structure of funds allocated to the education sector they surveyed. We though studied the problem in more detail. As a result, with the detailed analysis of both positive and negative consequences of distance learning, we could distinguish the damage caused by distance education to students' physical and mental health, socialization, and knowledge. Based on the conducted research, we created a distance learning exit model and provided an algorithm for its application. Also, we assessed the financial need for the model application.

The conducted studies showed that in order to apply the created model fully, 6,795 euros should be intended for each student. The required budget can be estimated depending on the number of students in the country. It should be noted that depending on each country's curriculum, the model can be adjusted, and the hourly salary of teachers must also be taken into account. The financing of the model was evaluated based on the actual circumstances in Lithuania, and respectively, an hourly pay of 10 euros for teachers was intended.

5. Conclusions

• In response to the crisis caused by the pandemic, many EU member countries increased the education budget to finance short-term and long-term damage to students' knowledge. Additional set funding ranged from 2 euros per student in Slovakia to 2,795 euros per student in the Netherlands. The median was 163 euros. Relating these amounts to current expenditure, we see that this corresponds to an increase in public spending on education of 0.05% in Slovakia and 32% in the Netherlands. The average increase was around 3% (Witte and Smet, 2021).
• Notably, many countries understood that the right way to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic challenges in education was to provide students and teachers with IT equipment, devices, and tools which used the primary funding.
• After evaluating the common need for funds results by applying the model created as the example of Lithuania, the funding per student amounted to 6,795 euros when calculating the teacher's pay of 10 euros per hour. Taking into account the fact that according to the data of 2023, there were 344,420 students in Lithuania in 2022-2023, therefore, in order to apply the created model of exit from the pandemic, 2,340,333,900 euros would be needed for the entire number of students.
• According to the allocated funds from the GDP to solve this problem, Lithuania stood out, having allocated two times more funds (1.93%) than others, but it was insufficient to solve the challenges. Slovakia allocated the least amount of funds (0.002%).
• In order to implement a sophisticated distance learning exit model, the funds allocated to the education sector are insufficient.
• The conducted studies showed that to apply the created model fully, the amount of 6,795 euros per student should be intended. The required budget can be estimated according to the number of students in each country. It should be noted that depending on each country, the curriculum model can be adjusted, and the hourly pay of teachers shall also be taken into account. The financing of the model was evaluated and estimated based on the actual circumstances in Lithuania, with a provided hourly pay of 10 euros for teachers.