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This paper provides empirical evidence on students' achievements determinants in Sub-Saharan Africa based on a sample of 26602 students from the ten countries that participated in the PASEC 2014 assessment. By using a two-level hierarchical linear model, I find that learning inequalities are primarily explained by differences in schools' characteristics. Furthermore, the estimation findings corroborate this result by showing the relevance of resources at the school level and how it affects students' performances depending on school type and location. Additionally, my results showed gender disparities and peer effects related to socioeconomic status, which disproportionately influence children from disadvantaged backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the developments and challenges of higher education in developing countries. Using a thorough qualitative interview of deans, directors and heads of Department of the University of Ghana, this paper draws on their analysis to discover unexplored issues that affect the universities in developing countries. The study identifies weakness in institutional policies and infrastructure deficiency of higher education in Ghana as key challenging factors. Findings also show congestion of students in academic facilities of learning, teaching overloads and lack of research facilities as key factors hampering academic development in higher education. Therefore, the work advocates for the development of policies that take into account the institutional realities in the field of higher education. Governmental policies aimed at enhancing higher education in developing economies must first improve the existing institutional set up for their chance of success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Development Review / Revue Africaine de Développement is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper investigates which micro factors among student, classroom, teacher, and school characteristics explain inequalities in public-private school achievement at the end of primary school in 14 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Using data from the 2019 CONFEMEN Education Systems Analysis Program (PASEC) assessment and an empirical strategy that leverages an educational production function, an Oaxaca-Blinder, Juhn Murphy, and Pierce decomposition, the main findings are as follows. Private schools provide a higher quality of education than public schools. The variables gender of the student, age and gender of the teacher, and number of inspections contribute to reducing inequalities between the two groups, while the variables home language, kindergarten attendance, socioeconomic level of the student's family, age of the student, and location and infrastructure of the school contribute to maintaining educational inequalities. Students who do less well in private schools are less likely to succeed in public schools. Those who do well in public schools are equally likely to do well in private schools. • This research focuses on the qualitative and quantitative aspects of education at the end of primary school. • The study uses rigorous econometric analysis to assess the issue of public-private inequities. • This research focuses on the differences in academic performance between public and private schools. • The results of this research are of interest to both public and private educational developers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) pose a formidable health risk to school-age children in resource-limited settings. Unfortunately, mass deworming campaigns have been derailed since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The present study assessed the cross-sectional associations between STHs, nutritional status and academic performance of schoolchildren in the Banda District of Ghana. Methods Schoolchildren (5–16 y of age; n=275) were recruited through both school and household visits by community health workers using a multistage cluster sampling technique. In addition to school microscopy, anthropometric records were also taken. Results The prevalence of geohelminthiasis was 40.4% (95% confidence interval 34.6 to 46.2). STHs targeted for elimination by the World Health Organization and national programmes were detected among schoolchildren. Children with intestinal parasite infection (53.7 [standard deviation {SD} 11.5]) had lower mean academic scores compared with uninfected children (59.6 [SD 16.9]) (p=0.034). In multiple regression analysis, intestinal parasite infection status and z-scores for weight-for-age showed a collective significant effect on the academic score (F1117=8.169, p<0.001, R2=0.125). Conclusions Schoolchildren with STHs had poorer academic performance compared with uninfected children, despite their nutritional status. In addition to school feeding programmes, school-based mass drug administration campaigns may be critical for improving learning outcomes in young schoolchildren. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study jointly investigates factors driving the processes of accessing and staying in school in sub-Saharan Africa. We explicitly account for the fact that staying in school or its converse, dropping out, is observed only among children who ever attend school. We use data from Demographic and Health Surveys from 12 countries. We find that access to school is typically lower for females, rural youth, and those from poorer households. Conditional on having ever attended school, these factors, as well as age in grade - an indicator of performance in school - typically help account for staying in school. We also find that keeping girls at school is very sensitive to school performance: girls with comparatively weak performance in school are more likely than their male counterparts to drop out of school, while girls who do relatively well in school are more likely to remain in school than boys, other things being equal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper considers what multilevel modelling approaches to analysing large scale cross-national surveys of education quality can tell us about the capabilities that support primary school children in learning to read. The impact of pupil background characteristics on achievement in reading towards the end of the primary cycle in sub-Saharan Africa is investigated via an analysis of the second wave of data collected by the Southern and East African Consortium for Monitoring Education Quality (SACMEQ) in six low income countries and four lower middle income small states. The findings on various pupil background, social and economic wealth-related factors associated with disadvantage/advantage are interpreted using a capability approach. Hence, the study goes beyond reiterating the well-known relationship between socio-economic status and rurality with learning outcomes to identify what it is that primary school pupils in East and Southern Africa can or cannot do that influences their acquisition of literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar lanterns are promoted across rural Sub-Saharan Africa as a way to improve educational outcomes. A randomized controlled trial in Zimba District, Zambia, evaluates whether solar lanterns help children study and improve academic performance. The research design accounts for potential income effects from receiving a lantern and also "blinds" participants to the study's purpose. There is no relationship detected between receipt of a solar lantern and improved performance on key examinations. Impacts on self-reported study habits are also not observed. A cost-effectiveness analysis suggests that solar lanterns are not an efficient way to improve educational outcomes in developing countries relative to other available options. Two phenomena, both of which are likely observed in other developing regions, may explain these results. First, flashlights have become the dominant lighting source in rural Zambia, so solar lanterns may have only limited appeal for prospective users who no longer rely on traditional lighting options like kerosene lamps. Second, improved energy access – whether through solar lanterns or other technologies – appears to be a relatively unimportant educational input in settings like Zimba. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the traditional gender norms and beliefs held by orphaned adolescent boys and girls, and the role of such norms and beliefs on their academic performance. Data from a NIMH-funded study known as Suubi-Maka in Uganda were analyzed. Results indicate that overall, adolescents held strong gendered norms and beliefs that favor males over females. Compared to boys, girls were more likely to report more egalitarian gender norms and beliefs that give equal consideration to both girls and boys. In addition, more egalitarian gender norms and beliefs were associated with better school grades. Study findings point to the need to integrate targeted components that address harmful gender norms and beliefs in programs that support vulnerable adolescents, including education policy, if we are to address inequalities in education access and achievement, as well promote and strengthen education for all in sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The gap between fertility outcomes and fertility ideals is notably higher in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) than elsewhere, relating to both under- and overachievement of fertility ideals. We consider the extent to which the relationship between fertility ideals and fertility outcomes is related to educational achievement. Further, we consider if these educational differentials are the same or different in SSA, and thereby consider the extent to which increasing levels of education in SSA may decrease fertility. Data and methods: We use 227 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHSs) from 58 countries worldwide to look at population- level measures of the mismatch between fertility ideals and fertility outcomes. Population level measures are used to assess whether the correspondence between fertility intentions and achievements differ by level of education. We then look at the individual-level determinants of both under- and overachieving fertility intentions. Data from the most recent DHS in 54 of the original countries is used for the individual level analysis, with five countries excluded due to the most recent available survey being out of date. Results: An average of 40% of women in SSA underachieve their stated fertility intentions compared to 26% in non-SSA countries. Furthermore, compared to other LMICs, higher levels of education are not related to better correspondence between fertility intentions and outcomes in SSA. In Middle/Western Africa countries, on average, 48% of women with secondary or higher education have fewer children than their ideal, compared to just 24% who have more children than their ideal. Conclusion: We argue that the phenomenon of underachieving fertility ideals (or unrealized fertility) may be of particular importance for the ongoing fertility transition throughout SSA, especially as more highly educated groups do not appear to be following the patterns observed elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most controversial debates around intelligence testing regards how tests are used to measure intelligence among non-Western populations. Studies conducted since the 1930's consistently indicate significant sub-average intelligence among African populations. The purpose of this study is to examine whether commonly used intelligence tests such as the Ravens Progressive Matrices are valid indices of cognitive functioning among children in Mali, Africa. Participants in the current study were 206 children from Mali attending French-language schools. The Woodcock-Johnson II math assessment was used to measure participants' academic achievement. The Vineland II- Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS) was used to indicate their adaptive functioning level. In this study, tests of IQ were compared against adaptive functioning and academic achievement, to examine whether IQ scores measured among African populations are artificially low or are an accurate measure of performance. IQ scores as measured by the Ravens were discrepant with standardized scores on math achievement and adaptive functioning. Results indicate that use of the Ravens may substantially underestimate the intelligence of children in Mali. This can be particularly problematic when comparisons are made across cultures using the same test and norms.. It is recommended that tests developed with local normative samples be used to assess for IQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nursing education has evolved over time to fit societies' increasing care needs. Innovations in nursing education draw thorny debates on potential jeopardy in the quality, safety, and efficacy of nurse graduates. Accelerated nursing education programs have been among landmark strategic changes to address the persistent bedside nurse shortage. Despite the dearth of empirical studies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the National School of Public Health of Burkina Faso has developed a State Diploma Nursing (SDN) fast-track program. With innovative features, the program is nested into the traditional SDN program. This study investigates preliminary outcomes of the implemented policy using the initial cohort that went through the program. Comparison of the traditional generic program and the fast-track one is drawn to inform nursing education policy. Methods: The study was conducted in the three campuses delivering the SDN program. Data collected from a representative sample included 255 students from the 2006-2009 cohort, after concluding the program. Surveyed students were assessed according to the program entry status. Outcomes were measured using students' academic performance. Besides descriptive analysis, bivariate t-test, F-test, and multivariate ordinary least square regression (OLSR) were employed to determine the comparative pattern between the traditional generic and the newly nested fast-track program. Students' varied statuses (private pre-registration, state pre-registration, private post-registration, and state post-registration) were kept to better outline the findings trend. Results: A fifth (19.6 %) of surveyed students were enrolled in the fast-track stream from which, one third (33.7 %) consisted of post-registered students. Fast-track students comparatively achieved the best academic performance (mean: 73.68/100, SD: 5.52). Multivariate OLSR confirmed that fast-track students performed better (β:5.559, p <0.001), and further informed differences between campuses. Students entry status also displayed significant differences, yet the academic performance of post-registered students from traditional generic versus fast-track was similar (p =0.409). Conclusion: Findings suggest that fast-track program students performed better than the ones from the traditional generic program. The uniqueness and success of this mixed nursing program experience sheds light for nursing educators engaged in policy making. The study results can serve as a crucial foundation for policymakers to alleviate the nurse shortage in SSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In sub-Saharan Africa, education conducted through a European language is associated with low school achievement. Both teachers and learners may often not be fluent enough to use the language as a medium of instruction. In these circumstances, both also make use of a common African language. They switch between two languages in the plenary classroom and - less commonly - learners talk in the African language when working in groups. These uses of African languages are often condemned by authorities and teachers feel uneasy about them. In other parts of the world, bilingual education is often planned, supported by authorities, underpinned by theory and its procedures well-defined. In the absence of such planning, teachers in Africa tend to generate their own creative bilingual practices. In this article we describe the extent to which this occurs, the forms it takes and the possible educational value these practices may have. We discuss the attitudes of teachers and authorities to the use of two languages. The article focuses in particular on the way low learner ability in the medium of instruction limits talk and necessitates bilingual interaction, and outlines ways in which teachers can make adjustments to the management of bilingualism in the classroom which facilitate learning in a European language. It emphasises the relative absence in African teacher education of the specialist pedagogy which learners with low ability in the medium of instruction require and proposes that bilingual education be formally recognised and promoted by authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor academic success by African engineering students is currently experienced in many higher educational institutions, contributing to lower financial subsidies by local governments. One of the contributing factors to this low academic success may be the poor time management skills of these students. This article endeavours to explore this relationship by means of a theoretical literature review and an empirical study. Numerous studies have been conducted in this regard, but with mixed results. The case study of this article involves a design module termed Design Projects III, where the empirical study incorporated an ex post facto study involving a pre-experimental/exploratory design using descriptive statistics. The results of this study were applied to various tests, which indicated no statistically significant relationship between time management skills and the academic achievement of African engineering students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With SACMEQ and PASEC there are now two large data bases available on student achievement, socio-economic background and school and teacher characteristics in both anglophone and francophone sub-Saharan Africa. A joint analysis of PASEC and SACMEQ in a common education production function framework allows us to estimate the impact of educational inputs on student achievement in 21 sub-Saharan African countries and to compare our results with those of earlier empirical studies for education systems in Africa and other world regions. In our analysis we focus on school equipment, teacher quality and class organisation. The issue of teacher and student incentives cannot be adequately addressed with the given data. Our results are based on a traditional retrospective analysis of student achievement in PASEC and SACMEQ countries. In contrast to the 'nothing works' result from most industrialized countries' studies we find robust positive correlations of achievement test scores and the possession of textbooks and negative correlations with teaching in shifts. The most striking result is the weak or even absent correlation of achievement test scores and teacher education and professional training. However, some differences between francophone and anglophone education systems can be observed in this context if differences in the sampling methodology are duly taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Review of Education / Internationale Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)