Learning about Schools in Development by Charles Kenny

Learning about Schools in Development

(CGDEV Working Paper 236)
December 2010

There has been considerable progress in school construction and enrollment worldwide. Paying kids to go to  school can help overcome remaining demand-side barriers to enrollment. Nonetheless, the quality of education appears very poor across the developing world, limiting development impact. Thus we should measure and promote learning not schooling. Conditional cash transfers to students on the basis of attendance and scores, school choice, decentralization combined with published test results, and teacher pay based on attendance and performance may help. But learning outcomes are primarily affected by the broader environment in which students live, suggesting a learning agenda that stretches far beyond education ministries.