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What Do Teachers Do? Teacher Quality Vis-a-vis Teacher Quantity in a Model of Public Education and Growth

Author

Listed:
  • MAUSUMI DAS

    (Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi, India)

  • SUBRATA GUHA

    (Centre for Economic Studies & Planning, Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi 110067)

Abstract

This paper analyses the contribution of teachers in a public education system and its implication for growth. We focus exclusively on two teacher-specific inputs (teacher quality and teacher quantity), and two student-specific inputs (ability and effort). We argue that all these factors enter separately in the education technology and therefore have differential impact of the process of human capital formation. In a public educa- tion system where teachers remunerations are paid by the government and financed by taxation, for any given amount of government revenue, there exists a trade-o¤ between teacher quality and teacher quantity. At the same time, the imposed tax rate has an impact on the export choice of an agent. Thus human capital formation and growth in the model depends on a complex interaction between teacher quality, teacher quantity, student ability and student effort. In this context we discuss the optimal education policy as well the optimal taxation policy of the government.

Suggested Citation

  • Mausumi Das & Subrata Guha, 2012. "What Do Teachers Do? Teacher Quality Vis-a-vis Teacher Quantity in a Model of Public Education and Growth," Working papers 216, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:cde:cdewps:216
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Swati Saini & Meeta Keswani Mehra, "undated". "Quality of Schooling: Child Quantity-Quality Tradeoff, Technological Progress and Economic Growth," Centre for International Trade and Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Discussion Papers 18-06, Centre for International Trade and Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public Education; Quality of Education; Growth;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

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