Class size versus class composition: What matters for learning in East Africa?
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Class size versus class composition : What matters for learning in East Africa? / Jones, Sam.
2013/065. ed. Helsinki : UNU-WIDER, 2013.Research output: Working paper › Research
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TY - UNPB
T1 - Class size versus class composition
T2 - What matters for learning in East Africa?
AU - Jones, Sam
N1 - JEL classification: J01, I21, I25, I28
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Raising schooling quality in low-income countries is a pressing challenge. Substantial research has considered the impact of cutting class sizes on skills acquisition. Considerably less attention has been given to the extent to which peer effects, which refer to class composition, also may affect outcomes. This study uses new microdata from East Africa, incorporating test score data for over 250,000 children, to compare the likely efficacy of these two types of interventions. Endogeneity bias is addressed via fixed effects and instrumentalvariables techniques. Although these may not fully mitigate bias from omitted variables, the preferred IV results indicate considerable negative effects due to larger class sizes and larger numbers of overage-for-grade peers. The latter, driven by the highly prevalent practices of grade repetition and academic redshirting, should be considered an important target for policy interventions.
AB - Raising schooling quality in low-income countries is a pressing challenge. Substantial research has considered the impact of cutting class sizes on skills acquisition. Considerably less attention has been given to the extent to which peer effects, which refer to class composition, also may affect outcomes. This study uses new microdata from East Africa, incorporating test score data for over 250,000 children, to compare the likely efficacy of these two types of interventions. Endogeneity bias is addressed via fixed effects and instrumentalvariables techniques. Although these may not fully mitigate bias from omitted variables, the preferred IV results indicate considerable negative effects due to larger class sizes and larger numbers of overage-for-grade peers. The latter, driven by the highly prevalent practices of grade repetition and academic redshirting, should be considered an important target for policy interventions.
KW - Faculty of Social Sciences
KW - East Africa
KW - education
KW - peer effects
KW - class size
M3 - Working paper
T3 - WIDER Working Paper
BT - Class size versus class composition
PB - UNU-WIDER
CY - Helsinki
ER -
ID: 100445422