An Investigation of the Relationship between School and Pupil Characteristics and Achievement at the Basic Education Level in Malawi

This study investigated how school, classroom and pupil factors infl uence pupil achievement in mathematics, English and Chichewa. Tests in the three subjects were administered to 6,000 pupils in 100 primary schools. The results indicate the follows: low achievement in English and mathematics; greater achievement in urban schools, especially in English; better pupil performance in schools with teacher pupil ratios below 50 in standard 7; better pupil performance in classes with trained teachers; and better pupil performance in classes with textbooks in any ratio than those without textbooks. At the upper level, pupils at an appropriate age performed better than overage or underage pupils; boys consistently performed better than girls, although the differences were small; a pupil’s family socioeconomic status had a positive infl uence on achievement; and the mother’s education was also positively related to performance. The study concludes that basic education with rudimentary structures requires appropriate trained teacher pupil ratios to promote cognitive growth.