Impact of early-onset persistent stunting on cognitive development at 5 years of age: Results from a multi-country cohort study

Here, we report a survey of 80 subsistence farming households in rural Zimbabwe during lockdown. Primary caregivers of 7‐year‐old children were interviewed following written informed consent between September and December 2020, as part of a study on school‐age growth and cognition. All caregivers reported children missing school due to COVID‐19. Towards the end of this study, schools began to reopen: 15 children were enrolled in school, but only 3 were actually attending school. Among children not attending school, only half were receiving home schooling, defined by asking the caregiver whether the child was taught lessons at home in subjects they would normally learn at school. Home schooling mostly relied on parents or local adults (Table 1). Parents providing home schooling had 1.7 more years of education (95%CI 0.3, 3.1, p = 0.02) than those who did not. About 15% (N = 12) households reported receiving support in teaching, 9% (N = 7) from schools. Only 6% (N = 5) households received additional educational support using radio, phone or online resources, despite 74% having access to a radio and 99% access to a phone.