Quality or quantity? the supply-side determinants of primary schooling in rural Mozambique

The role of school quality in determining educational outcomes has received much research attention in the United States. However, in developing countries, where a significant part of the school age population never attends school, policymakers must consider both quality and quantity when deciding h...

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Main Authors: Handa, Sudhanshu, Simler, Kenneth R.
Format: Artículo preliminar
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 2000
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/156373
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author Handa, Sudhanshu
Simler, Kenneth R.
author_browse Handa, Sudhanshu
Simler, Kenneth R.
author_facet Handa, Sudhanshu
Simler, Kenneth R.
author_sort Handa, Sudhanshu
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The role of school quality in determining educational outcomes has received much research attention in the United States. However, in developing countries, where a significant part of the school age population never attends school, policymakers must consider both quality and quantity when deciding how to maximize the impact of scarce investments. Acknowledging this difference in the policy environment in developing countries, this paper provides comparative estimates of the impact of quality versus quantity investments in school supply in rural Mozambique, one of the world’s poorest countries. Policy simulations show that improving school quality (through the pupil-teacher ratio) increases grade attainment and efficiency by approximately 9 percent with no impact on overall enrollment rates. However, these same results can be generated by increasing starting enrollment probabilities through the establishment of new schools in all rural villages that currently do not have schools. Furthermore, similar rates of increase in school achievement indicators can be achieved by building schools in only 56 percent of all villages currently without schools, provided these schools are placed in those villages that also do not have a school nearby. When cost information is considered, the main policy implication is that the expansion of school quantity through well targeted placement of new schools will provide the greatest increase in educational outcomes for Mozambique at this time.
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spelling CGSpace1563732025-11-06T06:07:38Z Quality or quantity? the supply-side determinants of primary schooling in rural Mozambique Handa, Sudhanshu Simler, Kenneth R. schoolchildren education economic aspects The role of school quality in determining educational outcomes has received much research attention in the United States. However, in developing countries, where a significant part of the school age population never attends school, policymakers must consider both quality and quantity when deciding how to maximize the impact of scarce investments. Acknowledging this difference in the policy environment in developing countries, this paper provides comparative estimates of the impact of quality versus quantity investments in school supply in rural Mozambique, one of the world’s poorest countries. Policy simulations show that improving school quality (through the pupil-teacher ratio) increases grade attainment and efficiency by approximately 9 percent with no impact on overall enrollment rates. However, these same results can be generated by increasing starting enrollment probabilities through the establishment of new schools in all rural villages that currently do not have schools. Furthermore, similar rates of increase in school achievement indicators can be achieved by building schools in only 56 percent of all villages currently without schools, provided these schools are placed in those villages that also do not have a school nearby. When cost information is considered, the main policy implication is that the expansion of school quantity through well targeted placement of new schools will provide the greatest increase in educational outcomes for Mozambique at this time. 2000 2024-10-24T12:43:56Z 2024-10-24T12:43:56Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/156373 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Handa, Sudhanshu; Simler, Kenneth R. 2000. Quality or quantity? the supply-side determinants of primary schooling in rural Mozambique. FCND Discussion Paper 83. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/156373
spellingShingle schoolchildren
education
economic aspects
Handa, Sudhanshu
Simler, Kenneth R.
Quality or quantity? the supply-side determinants of primary schooling in rural Mozambique
title Quality or quantity? the supply-side determinants of primary schooling in rural Mozambique
title_full Quality or quantity? the supply-side determinants of primary schooling in rural Mozambique
title_fullStr Quality or quantity? the supply-side determinants of primary schooling in rural Mozambique
title_full_unstemmed Quality or quantity? the supply-side determinants of primary schooling in rural Mozambique
title_short Quality or quantity? the supply-side determinants of primary schooling in rural Mozambique
title_sort quality or quantity the supply side determinants of primary schooling in rural mozambique
topic schoolchildren
education
economic aspects
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/156373
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