Tara Kavaler Gaps in schooling could lead to irreversible damage Rich, poor; young, old(er); Arab, Jew: Students of all stripes across the Middle East have experienced a school year like no other. For almost a year, their learning has been disrupted by the novel coronavirus with on-again, off-again in-person classes and lessons on Zoom. While the long-term effects of this disruption are still to be determined, experts fear irrevocable damage not just to pupils but to society as well. I don’t feel like I’ve really been learning anything. … It’s very lonely. It’s also messy because nothing is really handled well and nothing feels serious. … The classes feel like they aren’t important