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Teacher quality and cross-country differences in learning in francophone Sub-Saharan Africa

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  • Bietenbeck, Jan
  • Irmert, Natalie
  • Sepahvand, Mohammad H.

Abstract

We study the effects of two dimensions of teacher quality, subject knowledge and didactic skills, on student learning in francophone Sub-Saharan Africa. We use data from an international large-scale assessment in 14 countries that include individual-level information on student achievement and country-level averages of teacher subject knowledge and teacher didactic skills in reading and math. Exploiting variation between subjects in a student fixed-effects model, we find that teacher subject knowledge has a large positive effect on student achievement, whereas the effect of teacher didactic skills is comparatively small but imprecisely estimated. Differences in teacher subject knowledge account for 37 percent of the variation in average student achievement across countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Bietenbeck, Jan & Irmert, Natalie & Sepahvand, Mohammad H., 2023. "Teacher quality and cross-country differences in learning in francophone Sub-Saharan Africa," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:96:y:2023:i:c:s0272775723000845
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2023.102437
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. A'Hearn, Brian & Baten, Jörg & Crayen, Dorothee, 2009. "Quantifying Quantitative Literacy: Age Heaping and the History of Human Capital," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 69(3), pages 783-808, September.
    2. Victor Lavy, 2015. "Do Differences in Schools' Instruction Time Explain International Achievement Gaps? Evidence from Developed and Developing Countries," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 125(588), pages 397-424, November.
    3. Bietenbeck, Jan, 2014. "Teaching practices and cognitive skills," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 143-153.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    International learning gaps; Teacher quality; Sub-Saharan Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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