Publication:
Improving Madagascar's Primary Education : A Focus on Schools

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Files in English
English PDF (646.94 KB)
302 downloads
English Text (15.72 KB)
39 downloads
Date
1994-12
ISSN
Published
1994-12
Editor(s)
Abstract
This report analyzes the results of research on primary and secondary education in Madagascar in order to identify the school-level factors which have the most influence on student learning and on whether students stay in school. Also included are crude estimates of the resources that will be needed and which might be available to invest in providing or establishing these factors by the year 2000. The study combines analyses of quantifiable issues--economic decline, population growth, the size and internal efficiency of the education system, and education financing--with more qualitative concerns--school climate, the teaching/learning process, and the socio-political and cultural context--in order to capture the multi-faceted reality that will shape the future of primary and secondary education in Madagascar. The focus is on schools. The study examines the factors that determine school effectiveness, and the conditions in schools that help children learn. Central to the study are observational case studies of 12 primary sch, 12 junior secondary (CEG), and 12 senior secondary (lycee) schools that a Technical Group from the Ministry of Education conducted in 1993/94. The results of the primary school cases are compared with a 1991 evaluation of students' achievement and the factors that contribute to that achievement and with a forthcoming study on primary school wastage.
Link to Data Set
Citation
Heneveld, Ward. 1994. Improving Madagascar's Primary Education : A Focus on Schools. Africa Region Findings & Good Practice Infobriefs; No. 29. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/10006 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.
Associated URLs
Associated content
Report Series
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Publication
    Republic of Madagascar : Primary Education in Time of Crisis
    (Washington, DC, 2013-09) World Bank
    The Malagasy population has undergone a severe political and economic crisis since 2009, whose impact on children's enrollment is little documented. The stagnation of primary school enrollment in a context of sustained demographic growth points to a rapid deterioration in the access to basic education services. The objective of this study is thus to evaluate the effects of the current crisis on household education choices, to orient education policy decisions over the short and medium term. The study combines recent available qualitative and quantitative data, to propose a set of assumptions on the effects of the crisis and its impact channels on education. Short of being able to carry out a full impact analysis of the crisis, due to its national coverage, the following data and sources are analyzed in detail to better document its effects: 1) monetary and budget data; 2) education statistics from the Ministry of Education (MEN); 3) the last two household surveys (EPM), of 2005 and 2010; 4) a follow-up survey of the pupils, households and schools of the districts of Amboasary and Betioky in the south of Madagascar, carried out in 2012 on the basis of an original pre-crisis survey, of 2009; and 5) workshops with the main sector players. The conceptual framework approaches the determinants of household education choices and behavior from the perspective of education supply and demand. The crossed impact of supply and demand-side factors enables the identification of four channels of impact of the crisis on household education choices: direct and indirect education costs, household income and access to loans, the perceived return on investment in education and the opportunity costs of schooling. Finally, the effects of a certain number of pupil and household characteristics on school access are determined through econometric analyses that enable the evaluation of the relevance of each channel.
  • Publication
    The Challenge of Expanding Secondary Education and Training in Madagascar
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2008) World Bank
    Madagascar is making significant progress in achieving its Education for All Initiative (EFA) goals of providing universal primary education. It has recently decided to initiate far-reaching reforms in its primary and secondary education cycles. Good quality primary graduates are necessary for entry into the secondary education cycles in Madagascar. But equally important is the quality and relevance of what is taught and learned in secondary schools. This is one of the keys for accelerated economic growth and effective social development. International global trends in secondary education provide a useful framework for undertaking the current reform in secondary education. Madagascar's labor market needs more and better secondary graduates with "modern knowledge and better skills" to make its economy competitive and to attract overseas investments in the country. Asia and Latin America have already shown the way. However, to make the expansion of post-primary education services in Madagascar sustainable the system should become much more efficient and produce better results (in terms of quality and quantity). This report is designed to contribute to ongoing education reform discussions by presenting: analysis of the secondary education and training system; challenges and constraints to the expansion of the system; options to expand and improve secondary education based on other country experiences; and possible next steps for identifying the most appropriate course of action. This report aims to encourage discussion among policymakers, stakeholders, and donors, and does not promote one approach over another. To promote a more competitive economy in Madagascar in the 21st century, the government expects to increase the average years of schooling from the current 4.5 years to about 9-10 years by 2015 for the relative age groups. This report discusses the ongoing reform and its impact and provides suggestions for implementation. This report is intended to be used as a discussion instrument and to be disseminated among Madagascar's stakeholders in education.
  • Publication
    Expanding and Improving Upper Primary Education in India
    (Washington, DC, 2001-05-08) World Bank
    This report considers the current status of upper primary school education in India. It looks at future impacts and recognizes the national level focus on elementary education. The importance of specific contexts in defining how states fulfill their constitutional responsibilities in upper primary education are studied. The report is based upon two studies whose findings include: length, structure & organization vary across and within states; the transition rate between primary and upper primary is high; transition rates and enrollment are lower for girls; school place is provided for current, but not future, demand; private unaided school enrollment is increasing; state qualification policies for teachers are not always relevant to instruction needs; in-service teacher training is very limited; discontinuity exists for curricula and subject weight between primary and upper primary schools; information overloads exist in syllabi, textbooks, and classroom processes; upper primary grades are cheaper when combined within an elementary school; a constitutional requirement for decentralized educational management exists; and expenditures need to increase before universalization of elementary education. Specific recommendations are given. Expansion and improvement of upper primary schooling, as endorsed by the Supreme Court of the Constitution's reference to the provision of education up to 14 years of age, will require both resources and reform.
  • Publication
    Republic of Djibouti : Education Strategy Note
    (Washington, DC, 2002-06-14) World Bank
    This strategy note highlights issues derived from the preparation of the Djibouti School Access and Improvement Project, on the overall strategy of the education sector reforms, and long-term economic reforms. It reviews the country's education indicators - among the lowest in the world - where primary gross enrollment is under forty percent, and basic education enrollment, under twenty nine percent. Djibouti's curriculum is mainly based on the French education system, barely relevant to the country's needs. To this end, the Government established a National Education Forum, which recommended changes in the education law, which were codified into a new law, adopted in August 2000. Educational restructuring took place, moving from a six-year compulsory primary school system, to a nine-year compulsory basic education system (consolidating primary, and basic education), to meet the target set for basic education for all. However, the education and training system faces serious issues, namely access to, and equity of education; weak quality of learning due to insufficient teachers, and archaic pedagogic methods; high repetition and drop-out rates, due to competitive entrance examinations, and/or social pressures; and, insufficient Government resources to increase access, or improve quality. Recommendations suggest to conduct studies on factors affecting family incentives to foster school enrollment, particularly for girls' education, and those affecting quality of education, and, to review adaptability of curricula to the local context, social demands for higher education, and gender equity issues, in addition to financing options, in particular recurrent cost issues, with a focus on the role of the private sector.
  • Publication
    School-Based Management, School Decision-Making and Education Outcomes in Indonesian Primary Schools
    (2011-09-01) Chen, Dandan
    This paper examines the key aspects of the practices of school-based management in Indonesia, and its effect on education quality. Using a conceptual framework of an accountability system of public service delivery, the paper explores the relations among Indonesian parents, school committees, schools, and government education supervisory bodies from three tenets: participation and voice; autonomy; and accountability. Using the data from a nationally representative survey of about 400 public primary schools in Indonesia, the paper finds that the level of parental participation and voice in school management is extremely low in Indonesia. While the role of school committees is still limited to community relations, school facilities, and other administrative areas of school management, school principals, together with teachers, are much more empowered to assert professional control of the schools. The accountability system has remained weak in Indonesia's school system, which is reflected by inadequate information flow to parents, as well as seemingly low parental awareness of the need to hold schools accountable. The accountability arrangement of the Indonesian school system currently puts more emphasis on top-down supervision and monitoring by government supervisory bodies. The findings show that although the scope of school-based management in Indonesia is limited, it has begun to help schools make the right decisions on allocation of resources and hiring additional (non-civil servant) teachers, and to create an enabling environment of learning, including increasing teacher attendance rates. These aspects are found to have significantly positive effects on student learning outcomes.

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

  • Publication
    Economic Recovery
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-04-06) Malpass, David; Georgieva, Kristalina; Yellen, Janet
    World Bank Group President David Malpass spoke about the world facing major challenges, including COVID, climate change, rising poverty and inequality and growing fragility and violence in many countries. He highlighted vaccines, working closely with Gavi, WHO, and UNICEF, the World Bank has conducted over one hundred capacity assessments, many even more before vaccines were available. The World Bank Group worked to achieve a debt service suspension initiative and increased transparency in debt contracts at developing countries. The World Bank Group is finalizing a new climate change action plan, which includes a big step up in financing, building on their record climate financing over the past two years. He noted big challenges to bring all together to achieve GRID: green, resilient, and inclusive development. Janet Yellen, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, mentioned focusing on vulnerable people during the pandemic. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, focused on giving everyone a fair shot during a sustainable recovery. All three commented on the importance of tackling climate change.
  • Publication
    Mexico Poverty and Equity Assessment
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-02-20) World Bank
    This Mexico Poverty and Equity Assessment reviews the evidence about poverty and equity in Mexico over the last two decades, compares it to comparable international experience, and identifies a set of critical areas of policy intervention to answer the opening question. The report aims at contributing to an open conversation in Mexico about how to achieve this essential policy objective. This report postulates three main policy areas needed for poverty eradication in Mexico: inclusive growth, efficient social policy, and infrastructure to confront vulnerability. The report includes four sections, the first three of which collect evidence about poverty, social deprivations, and vulnerability and how the evolution of these three correlates to patterns of economic growth, social protection policy and territorial development. The fourth section provides some quantitative benchmarks of what it would take to eradicate extreme poverty in Mexico. Poverty in Mexico is defined not only in monetary terms, but also in a multidimensional manner that includes social deprivations. These are social deprivations that often define formal-vs-informal employment, so policy changes that close these carencias, as they are called in Mexico, will also reduce the informality gap. This report documents the evolution of poverty, social deprivations, and vulnerability to poverty. It explains the main forces that have driven this evolution and advises that many of these forces may not operate the same in the future as they did in the past. It provides the basis to argue that short to medium term extreme poverty eradication requires newer policy actions in terms of inclusive growth, more efficient social policy, and investments in physical and social infrastructure to reduce vulnerability. The report indicates that short to medium term eradication to extreme poverty is a major, but within reach, development challenge for Mexico.
  • Publication
    South Asia Development Update, April 2024: Jobs for Resilience
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-04-02) World Bank
    South Asia is expected to continue to be the fastest-growing emerging market and developing economy (EMDE) region over the next two years. This is largely thanks to robust growth in India, but growth is also expected to pick up in most other South Asian economies. However, growth in the near-term is more reliant on the public sector than elsewhere, whereas private investment, in particular, continues to be weak. Efforts to rein in elevated debt, borrowing costs, and fiscal deficits may eventually weigh on growth and limit governments' ability to respond to increasingly frequent climate shocks. Yet, the provision of public goods is among the most effective strategies for climate adaptation. This is especially the case for households and farms, which tend to rely on shifting their efforts to non-agricultural jobs. These strategies are less effective forms of climate adaptation, in part because opportunities to move out of agriculture are limited by the region’s below-average employment ratios in the non-agricultural sector and for women. Because employment growth is falling short of working-age population growth, the region fails to fully capitalize on its demographic dividend. Vibrant, competitive firms are key to unlocking the demographic dividend, robust private investment, and workers’ ability to move out of agriculture. A range of policies could spur firm growth, including improved business climates and institutions, the removal of financial sector restrictions, and greater openness to trade and capital flows.
  • Publication
    Media and Messages for Nutrition and Health
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020-06) Calleja, Ramon V., Jr.; Mbuya, Nkosinathi V.N.; Morimoto, Tomo; Thitsy, Sophavanh
    The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) has experienced rapid and significant economic growth over the past decade. However, poor nutritional outcomes remain a concern. Rates of childhood undernutrition are particularly high in remote, rural, and upland areas. Media have the potential to play an important role in shaping health and nutrition–related behaviors and practices as well as in promoting sociocultural and economic development that might contribute to improved nutritional outcomes. This report presents the results of a media audit (MA) that was conducted to inform the development and production of mass media advocacy and communication strategies and materials with a focus on maternal and child health and nutrition that would reach the most people from the poorest communities in northern Lao PDR. Making more people aware of useful information, essential services and products and influencing them to use these effectively is the ultimate goal of mass media campaigns, and the MA measures the potential effectiveness of media efforts to reach this goal. The effectiveness of communication channels to deliver health and nutrition messages to target beneficiaries to ensure maximum reach and uptake can be viewed in terms of preferences, satisfaction, and trust. Overall, the four most accessed media channels for receiving information among communities in the study areas were village announcements, mobile phones, television, and out-of-home (OOH) media. Of the accessed media channels, the top three most preferred channels were village announcements (40 percent), television (26 percent), and mobile phones (19 percent). In terms of trust, village announcements were the most trusted source of information (64 percent), followed by mobile phones (14 percent) and television (11 percent). Hence of all the media channels, village announcements are the most preferred, have the most satisfied users, and are the most trusted source of information in study communities from four provinces in Lao PDR with some of the highest burden of childhood undernutrition.
  • Publication
    Remarks at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-10-12) Malpass, David
    World Bank Group President David Malpass discussed biodiversity and climate change being closely interlinked, with terrestrial and marine ecosystems serving as critically important carbon sinks. At the same time climate change acts as a direct driver of biodiversity and ecosystem services loss. The World Bank has financed biodiversity conservation around the world, including over 116 million hectares of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas, 10 million hectares of Terrestrial Protected Areas, and over 300 protected habitats, biological buffer zones and reserves. The COVID pandemic, biodiversity loss, climate change are all reminders of how connected we are. The recovery from this pandemic is an opportunity to put in place more effective policies, institutions, and resources to address biodiversity loss.