IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/injoed/v105y2024ics0738059324000099.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

English medium instruction in multilingual contexts: Empirical evidence from Ethiopia

Author

Listed:
  • Opare-Kumi, Jennifer

Abstract

Language acquisition and learning literatures favour mother-tongue education policies, particularly in the early years of schooling. However, English Medium Instruction (EMI) remains a popular language policy position in multilingual contexts. This paper studies EMI transition policies using a longitudinal dataset from Ethiopia, by leveraging regional variation in education language policy reforms for causal identification. Employing a dynamic value-added model, this paper shows that students in schools using English as a medium of instruction have lower mathematics test scores (−0.25 standard deviations) compared to students in mother tongue education schools. Furthermore, English medium learners do not perform any better in their English test scores compared to mother tongue learners. These findings are in line with the international education literature on skill development, learning and second language acquisition. The main results support the prolonged utilisation of mother tongue instruction in primary education. These results are particularly relevant for policy makers in linguistically diverse contexts.

Suggested Citation

  • Opare-Kumi, Jennifer, 2024. "English medium instruction in multilingual contexts: Empirical evidence from Ethiopia," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:injoed:v:105:y:2024:i:c:s0738059324000099
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2024.102987
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0738059324000099
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2024.102987?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Seid, Yared, 2016. "Does learning in mother tongue matter? Evidence from a natural experiment in Ethiopia," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 21-38.
    2. Petra E. Todd & Kenneth I. Wolpin, 2007. "The Production of Cognitive Achievement in Children: Home, School, and Racial Test Score Gaps," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 1(1), pages 91-136.
    3. Tahir Andrabi & Jishnu Das & Asim Ijaz Khwaja & Tristan Zajonc, 2011. "Do Value-Added Estimates Add Value? Accounting for Learning Dynamics," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 3(3), pages 29-54, July.
    4. Singh, Abhijeet, 2015. "Private school effects in urban and rural India: Panel estimates at primary and secondary school ages," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 16-32.
    5. Yared Seid, 2019. "The impact of learning first in mother tongue: evidence from a natural experiment in Ethiopia," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(6), pages 577-593, February.
    6. Ramachandran, Rajesh, 2017. "Language use in education and human capital formation: Evidence from the Ethiopian educational reform," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 195-213.
    7. Taylor, Stephen & von Fintel, Marisa, 2016. "Estimating the impact of language of instruction in South African primary schools: A fixed effects approach," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 75-89.
    8. Petra E. Todd & Kenneth I. Wolpin, 2003. "On The Specification and Estimation of The Production Function for Cognitive Achievement," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 113(485), pages 3-33, February.
    9. David D. Laitin & Rajesh Ramachandran & Stephen L. Walter, 2019. "The Legacy of Colonial Language Policies and Their Impact on Student Learning: Evidence from an Experimental Program in Cameroon," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 68(1), pages 239-272.
    10. Piper, Benjamin & Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons & Kwayumba, Dunston & Oyanga, Arbogast, 2018. "Examining the secondary effects of mother-tongue literacy instruction in Kenya: Impacts on student learning in English, Kiswahili, and mathematics," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 110-127.
    11. Katherine Eriksson, 2014. "Does the language of instruction in primary school affect later labour market outcomes? Evidence from South Africa," Economic History of Developing Regions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(2), pages 311-335, December.
    12. Yared Seid, 2022. "Mother-tongue instruction and later labour market outcomes: evidence from a natural experiment in Ethiopia," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(54), pages 6254-6271, November.
    13. Carter, Emma & Sabates, Ricardo & Rose, Pauline & Akyeampong, Kwame, 2020. "Sustaining literacy from mother tongue instruction in complementary education into official language of instruction in government schools in Ghana," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Leighton, Margaret, 2022. "Mother tongue reading materials as a bridge to literacy," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    2. Rajesh Ramachandran & Christopher Rauh, 2023. "The Imperium of the Colonial Tongue? Evidence on Language Policy Preferences in Zambia," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 32(1), pages 52-80.
    3. Chicoine, Luke, 2019. "Schooling with learning: The effect of free primary education and mother tongue instruction reforms in Ethiopia," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 94-107.
    4. Castro, Juan F. & Rolleston, Caine, 2018. "The contribution of early childhood and schools to cognitive gaps: New evidence from Peru," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 144-164.
    5. Sánchez, Alan & Singh, Abhijeet, 2018. "Accessing higher education in developing countries: Panel data analysis from India, Peru, and Vietnam," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 261-278.
    6. Margaret Leighton, 2021. "Mother Tongue Reading Materials as a Bridge to Literacy," Discussion Paper Series, School of Economics and Finance 202101, School of Economics and Finance, University of St Andrews.
    7. Parinduri, Rasyad & Ong, Kian, 2018. "The effects of mediums of instruction on educational- and labor market outcomes: Evidence from Malaysia," MPRA Paper 87560, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Pooja Nakamura & Adria Molotsky & Rosa Castro Zarzur & Varsha Ranjit & Yasmina Haddad & Thomas De Hoop, 2023. "Language of instruction in schools in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(4), December.
    9. Marta Favara & Catherine Porter & Tassew Woldehanna, 2019. "Smarter through social protection? Evaluating the impact of Ethiopia’s safety-net on child cognitive abilities," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(1), pages 79-96, January.
    10. Singh, Abhijeet & Romero, Mauricio & Muralidharan, Karthik, 2024. "COVID-19 Learning loss and recovery," University of California at San Diego, Economics Working Paper Series qt3jj1b8hb, Department of Economics, UC San Diego.
    11. Sass, Tim R. & Semykina, Anastasia & Harris, Douglas N., 2014. "Value-added models and the measurement of teacher productivity," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 9-23.
    12. Elena Claudia Meroni & Daniela Piazzalunga & Chiara Pronzato, 2022. "Allocation of time and child socio-emotional skills," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 1155-1192, December.
    13. Nirav Mehta, 2019. "Measuring quality for use in incentive schemes: The case of “shrinkage” estimators," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 10(4), pages 1537-1577, November.
    14. Singh, Abhijeet, 2015. "Private school effects in urban and rural India: Panel estimates at primary and secondary school ages," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 16-32.
    15. Borra, Cristina & Iacovou, Maria & Sevilla, Almudena, 2023. "Adolescent development and the math gender gap," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    16. Ding, Weili & Lehrer, Steven F., 2014. "Understanding the role of time-varying unobserved ability heterogeneity in education production," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 55-75.
    17. Godstime Osekhebhen Eigbiremolen, 2020. "Estimating Private School Premium for Primary School Children in Ethiopia: Evidence from Individual-level Panel Data," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 20(1), pages 26-44, January.
    18. Helmers, Christian & Patnam, Manasa, 2011. "The formation and evolution of childhood skill acquisition: Evidence from India," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(2), pages 252-266, July.
    19. Dan Anderberg & Gloria Moroni, 2020. "Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence and Children's Dynamic Skill Accumulation: Evidence from a UK Longitudinal Study," CESifo Working Paper Series 8381, CESifo.
    20. Emmanuel Ngoy & Carla Sá & Paula Veiga, 2024. "Exploring socioeconomic-related inequality in children’s cognitive achievement in Peru," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 22(3), pages 809-832, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Medium of Instruction; Learning outcomes; Education policy; Africa; Value-added models;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:injoed:v:105:y:2024:i:c:s0738059324000099. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-educational-development .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.