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School grants and education quality : experimental evidence from Senegal

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  • Amaro Da Costa Luz Carneiro,Pedro Manuel
  • Koussihouede,Oswald
  • Lahire,Nathalie
  • Meghir,Costas
  • Mommaerts,Corina

Abstract

The effect of increasing school resources on educational outcomes is a central issue in the debate on improving school quality. This paper uses a randomized experiment to analyze the impact of a school grants program in Senegal, which allowed schools to apply for funding for improvements of their own choice. The analysis finds positive effects on test scores at lower grades that persist at least two years. These effects are concentrated among schools that focused funds on human resource improvements rather than school materials, suggesting that teachers and principals may be a central determinant of school quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Amaro Da Costa Luz Carneiro,Pedro Manuel & Koussihouede,Oswald & Lahire,Nathalie & Meghir,Costas & Mommaerts,Corina, 2016. "School grants and education quality : experimental evidence from Senegal," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7624, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:7624
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    Cited by:

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    2. Piza, Caio & Zwager, Astrid & Ruzzante, Matteo & Dantas, Rafael & Loureiro, Andre, 2024. "Teacher-led innovations to improve education outcomes: Experimental evidence from Brazil," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    3. Baron,Juan & Lee,Ling Jessica Diana & Tamagnan,Marie Evane, 2024. "Are You Thinking About School Grants? Some Questions to Consider," Education Notes 189314, The World Bank.
    4. Mauricio Romero & Juan Bedoya & Monica Yanez‐Pagans & Marcela Silveyra & Rafael de Hoyos, 2024. "The effect of school grants on test scores: experimental evidence from Mexico," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 91(363), pages 980-995, July.
    5. Al-Samarrai, Samer & Shrestha, Unika & Hasan, Amer & Nakajima, Nozomi & Santoso, Santoso & Wijoyo, Wisnu Harto Adi, 2018. "Introducing a performance-based component into Jakarta's school grants: What do we know about its impact after three years?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 110-136.

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