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Bullying as the main driver of low performance in schools: Evidence from Botswana, Ghana, and South Africa

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  • Anton-Erxleben, Katharina
  • Kibriya, Shahriar
  • Zhang, Yu

Abstract

Worldwide, at least 20% of students are regularly bullied in school. Research from developed countries has associated bullying with several negative outcomes, but little is known about the relationship between bullying and academic achievement, especially in developing countries. Here, data from three African countries participating in the 2011 Trends in Mathematics and Sciences Study and Progress in Reading and Literacy Study were analyzed, including 36,602 participants aged 12 to 16. Results show that bullying is pervasive in all three countries, is one of the root causes of low academic performance, and is more influential than other variables commonly associated with low achievement. This indicates that school violence must become a priority for international development and country level efforts in education.

Suggested Citation

  • Anton-Erxleben, Katharina & Kibriya, Shahriar & Zhang, Yu, 2016. "Bullying as the main driver of low performance in schools: Evidence from Botswana, Ghana, and South Africa," MPRA Paper 75555, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:75555
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    Cited by:

    1. Huan Wang & Jingjing Tang & Sarah-Eve Dill & Jiusi Xiao & Matthew Boswell & Claire Cousineau & Scott Rozelle, 2022. "Bullying Victims in Rural Primary Schools: Prevalence, Correlates, and Consequences," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-18, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    School bullying; academic achievement; Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General

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