Education quality in West and Central Africa: Family background, teachers, and schools

Abstract

This paper provides empirical evidence on the determinants of learning outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on the effects of student socioeconomic status (SES), teacher characteristics, and school-level factors. Using a multi-level regression framework, we analyze mathematics proficiency with PASEC data from ten countries, a standardized assessment of pupils’ mathematics and reading performance. We document a value-added model with a baseline specification rooted in a hierarchical linear model. Our main findings reveal persistent socioeconomic inequalities. Students from the highest SES quintile significantly outperform their peers, even after accounting for school resources, highlighting entrenched advantages in resource access and parental support. Teacher experience, qualifications, and gender (with female teachers correlating with higher scores) emerge as critical drivers of achievement, though their impact is mediated by school context. Overcrowded classrooms (>36 students) and ineffective teaching methods hinder learning, while private schools and robust infrastructure consistently enhance outcomes. Regional disparities further underscore contextual variability: in West Africa, SES and teacher training reforms yield pronounced benefits, while Central Africa exhibits weaker SES effects and greater spatial inequalities.