{"title":"Government spending and lower secondary education completion in Asia: A cross-national analysis","authors":"Bhavana S , Ekasmayi Naresh , Suparna Naresh","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103369","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103369","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper examines the influence of government expenditure on lower secondary education completion rates across 35 Asian countries, using 2019 data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Despite global commitments to equitable education, regional disparities in funding and outcomes persist. Employing a cross-sectional correlational design, the study identifies a weak, statistically nonsignificant association (r = 0.26, p = 0.122) between government education spending and completion rates. These findings suggest that while funding remains a critical input, its impact may be limited without concurrent investments in education quality, governance, and equity. Key limitations include reliance on single-year data, absence of control variables, and structural inefficiencies across national systems. The study advocates for more nuanced public investment strategies that emphasize targeted interventions, data-driven policymaking, and inclusive financing to align national efforts with Sustainable Development Goals. These insights are relevant for ministries of education, international organizations, and donors seeking to strengthen education systems and promote equitable access across Asia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48004,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Development","volume":"117 ","pages":"Article 103369"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144757058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Harry Anthony Patrinos , Maciej Jakubowski , Tomasz Gajderowicz
{"title":"Evaluation of achievement change in Egypt using PIRLS data","authors":"Harry Anthony Patrinos , Maciej Jakubowski , Tomasz Gajderowicz","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103371","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103371","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study analyzes Egypt’s exceptional reading achievement gains during the COVID-19 school closures, a period when most countries experienced declines. Drawing on data from the 2016 and 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), we find a 48-point improvement—equivalent to two years of learning—with notable gains among boys. Using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and projected trend models, we confirm the significance of this rise. Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition attributes only one-third of the improvement to observed factors. The study finds that Egypt’s progress likely reflects systemic reforms, but more research is needed to confirm that.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48004,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Development","volume":"117 ","pages":"Article 103371"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144757068","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Deliang Wang , Yuanyi Zhen , Dapeng Shan , Chenwei Zhang , Ben Kao , Gaowei Chen
{"title":"More investment, more engagement? Analyzing dialogic behavior in online one-to-one tutoring among different payment mechanisms","authors":"Deliang Wang , Yuanyi Zhen , Dapeng Shan , Chenwei Zhang , Ben Kao , Gaowei Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103366","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103366","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the relationship between students’ financial investment and their learning engagement in online one-to-one tutoring, specifically whether increased financial investment leads to greater dialogic engagement. We analyzed online one-to-one mathematics tutoring dialogues across free, token-based, and subscription-based sessions using a coding scheme and a well-trained AI (Artificial Intelligence) model. Our findings reveal several key insights. First, students and tutors in free tutoring sessions have the longest conversations, while those in subscription-based sessions have the shortest. Students receiving free tutoring exhibit the least off-topic behavior compared to those in token-based and subscription-based sessions. Second, students in free tutoring demonstrate higher levels of constructive engagement, whereas those in token-based tutoring show more metacognition-related patterns. Third, tutors induce more reflection and provide direct instruction more sequentially in subscription-based sessions than in free sessions. These findings suggest that students’ engagement levels in online tutoring may not be positively correlated with their monetary investment, offering new perspectives on the relationship between educational investment and learning engagement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48004,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Development","volume":"117 ","pages":"Article 103366"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144749652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploring life goals, hopes, savoring and flourishing: Perspectives of Taiwanese and overseas Chinese undergraduate students","authors":"Po-Lin Chen , Ching-Hui Lin , Ying-Yan Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103365","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103365","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The purposes of this study were to explore the relationships and to compare the differences among the life goals, hopes, savoring, and flourishing of overseas Chinese and domestic Taiwanese students. A total of 559 overseas Chinese and 267 Taiwanese students completed a survey and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed using SPSS version 21, PROCESS Macro, and LISREL. Results revealed that hope and savoring mediated between life goals and flourishing for overseas Chinese students. Furthermore, the relationships between life goals and hope, hope and savoring, and savoring and flourishing were significant for Taiwanese students, who also performed significantly higher than overseas Chinese students on social goals, amplification of savoring, and positive emotions. Implications of the results for institutional policies and practices are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48004,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Development","volume":"117 ","pages":"Article 103365"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144722250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Md Johirul Islam, Marjan Hossain, Sheikh Touhidul Haque
{"title":"The cost of discipline? Exploring the impact of corporal punishment on children’s foundational learning skills in Bangladesh","authors":"Md Johirul Islam, Marjan Hossain, Sheikh Touhidul Haque","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103360","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103360","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the impact of corporal punishment at home on children’s foundational learning skills in Bangladesh, a country where nearly 89% of mothers/ primary caretakers report using physical or psychological punishment at home. Using data from the 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), we employ a two-stage least squares (2SLS) instrumental variable approach to isolate the causal effects of corporal punishment, leveraging the implementation period of Bangladesh’s “2011 Child Law” act as an instrument. We find that exposure to corporal punishment at home significantly reduces the likelihood of children possessing foundational reading and numeracy skills. Male children are disproportionately affected, highlighting potential gender-specific mechanisms through which corporal punishment may affect learning outcomes. Our findings point to two policy imperatives: (1) stronger enforcement of existing bans on corporal punishment and (2) early-childhood interventions to address its long-term consequences.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48004,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Development","volume":"117 ","pages":"Article 103360"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144721220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Labor market effects of a dual-VET apprenticeship: Evidence from Nepal","authors":"Thomas Bolli , Patrick McDonald , Ursula Renold","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103359","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103359","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper analyzes the labor market effects of a Dual-VET Apprenticeship pilot in Nepal. The formal upper secondary education program usually lasts for two years. The program started in the end of 2019. It ended in spring 2022 after being heavily affected by COVID-19. We analyze labor market outcomes in 2023 and 2024 based on structured phone surveys among applicants of the program. We address endogeneity based on randomization of applicants and discontinuity in application test scores. A large share of non-apprentices enrolls in general upper secondary and tertiary education. Hence, our estimations contrast the program to a control group with relatively high educational attainment. OLS results suggest that the program tends to increase work propensity. Due to missing tertiary vocational education in Nepal, the enrollment of non-apprentices in general education further means that the program tends to decrease education propensity according to OLS results. However, these results do not hold in quasi-experimental estimates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48004,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Development","volume":"117 ","pages":"Article 103359"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144711152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The differential impact of teacher training on student performance: The role of gender and family background","authors":"Lusekelo George Mwandondwa","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103364","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103364","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates who benefits most from professional development (PD) training provided to primary school teachers in Tanzania, with a focus on gender and family background. Using data from the Education Quality Improvement Program in Tanzania (EQUIP-T), the analysis applies a difference-in-difference approach with interaction terms to assess student performance in Kiswahili and mathematics. Findings show that male teachers experienced greater improvements in instructional effectiveness, particularly in enhancing student reading fluency. Male students also benefited more in mathematics, suggesting a gender-alignment effect. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds, especially those from poor households, large families, and with illiterate mothers saw significant gains in Kiswahili fluency, though math improvements were limited. These results highlight the unequal impact of PD training and underscore the importance of tailoring PD content to address gender dynamics and socio-economic disparities. Targeted PD interventions, coupled with equitable resource allocation, can improve learning outcomes and help reduce educational inequality in low-resource settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48004,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Development","volume":"117 ","pages":"Article 103364"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144702319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"","authors":"Stephen P. Heyneman","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103363","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103363","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":48004,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Development","volume":"117 ","pages":"Article 103363"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144702471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Teacher transfers and the disruption of teacher staffing in the City of Sao Paulo","authors":"Gregory Elacqua , Leonardo Rosa","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103353","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103353","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper analyzes preferences for certain school attributes among in-service teachers. We explore a centralized matching process in the city of Sao Paulo that teachers must use when transferring schools. Because teachers have to list and rank their preferences for schools, we can estimate the desirability of school attributes using a rank-ordered logit model. We show that distance from the teacher’s home is the strongest predictor of teacher preferences, with school test scores and teacher composition also playing important roles. Furthermore, we document that preferences vary according to teacher characteristics such as gender, race, age, and academic subject.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48004,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Development","volume":"117 ","pages":"Article 103353"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144679667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Road to the future: Identifying impacts of roads on education in Colombia","authors":"Jaime Polanco-Jimenez","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103339","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103339","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the impact of Colombia’s Public–Private Partnership (PPP) road concessions on educational outcomes using a staggered difference-in-differences approach with student-level data (2006–2021). I find that road project completion leads to statistically significant increases of 0.169 standard deviations in math and 0.11 standard deviations reading literacy scores. Furthermore, child labor decreases by 3%, while higher education pursuit increases by 4.8%. These robust results suggest PPP-driven road investments effectively promote human capital development, urging policymakers to consider these short- and long-term educational effects when evaluating infrastructure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48004,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Development","volume":"117 ","pages":"Article 103339"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144679626","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}