Publication: Improving Education Outcomes in South Asia: Findings from a Decade of Impact Evaluations
Date
2015-07
ISSN
Published
2015-07
Author(s)
Asim, Salman
Chase, Robert S.
Dar, Amit
Schmillen, Achim
Abstract
There have been many initiatives to
improve education outcomes in South Asia. Still, outcomes
remain stubbornly resistant to improvements, at least when
considered across the region. To collect and synthesize the
insights about what actually works to improve learning and
other education outcomes, this paper conducts a systematic
review and meta-analysis of 29 education-focused impact
evaluations from South Asia, establishing a standard that
includes randomized control trials and quasi-experimental
designs. It finds that while there are impacts from
interventions that seek to increase the demand for education
in households and communities, those targeting teachers or
schools and thus the supply-side of the education sector are
generally much more adept at improving learning outcomes. In
addition, interventions that provide different actors with
resources and those that incentivize behavioral changes show
moderate but statistically significant impacts on student
learning. A mix of input- and incentive-oriented
interventions tailored to the specific conditions on the
ground appears most promising for fostering education
outcomes in South Asia.
Citation
“Asim, Salman; Chase, Robert S.; Dar, Amit; Schmillen, Achim. 2015. Improving Education Outcomes in South Asia: Findings from a Decade of Impact Evaluations. Policy Research Working Paper;No. 7362. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/22447 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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