Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.

The lack of regular academic sessions has meant that in 2020 the country has had the ______ share of students who have attended educational institutions.

lowest

The correct answer is lowest.

The sentence is saying that in 2020, the country has had the lowest share of students who have attended educational institutions. This means that the country has had the smallest number of students who have attended educational institutions compared to other years.

The options lower, low, and last are not as appropriate because they do not have the same meaning as lowest. For example, the option lower would mean that the country has had a smaller share of students who have attended educational institutions compared to other years, but it is not the smallest share. The option low would also mean that the country has had a small share of students who have attended educational institutions, but it is not the smallest share. The option last would mean that the country has had the smallest share of students who have attended educational institutions in the past, but it is not clear if this is still the case in 2020.