Pearson accelerates digital growth following double-figure revenue dip

Learning specialist Pearson has focused its efforts on enhancing its digital proposition to mitigate the impact caused by COVID-19.

The London-headquartered firm reported a 10 per cent decrease in international revenue, caused by the closure of its test centres as a result of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Pearson reported an overall group revenue decline of 5 per cent compared with the previous year, with growth in its digital offering helping to offset the impact of COVID-19.

As well as bolstering its digital capabilities to offer remote services and products, the firm has also announced the launch of an employment course programme for furloughed and unemployed people across the UK.

John Fallon, Pearson’s chief executive, commented: “We are in a strong financial position with a healthy balance sheet, low net debt and good liquidity. This enables us to deploy all our people and resources to support our communities as the world’s learning moves online at an unprecedented speed and scale.

“I’d like to thank my colleagues, and our customers and partners, for the speed and spirit with which we’re working together to achieve this goal. In that spirit, we will launch next month UK Learns, a richly curated portfolio of employment enhancing short courses personalised to meet the needs of the furloughed and the unemployed.

“When the threat of the pandemic eventually eases, it will be even clearer that the future of learning is increasingly digital. Through the crisis, we are continuing to invest in the platform, products and services that will make the next generation of digital learning a reality.”