The Determinants of Student Achievement in Government and Private Schools in Pakistan [with Comments]

This paper analyses the determinants of pupil achievement of middle school students using purpose-built data collected on 8th grade pupils in private and government schools in urban and rural Lahore (2002-2003). It tests the veracity of the anecdotal concern that private school pupils learn more tha...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pakistan development review 2003, Vol.42 (4), p.841-876
Main Authors: Aslam, Monazza, Siddiqui, Rehana
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Absenteeism
Access to education
Achievement
Children
Coefficients
Comparative analysis
Economics of education
Education
Estimation bias
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Mathematics achievement
National development
Pakistan
Private schools
Production functions
School attendance
State schools
Student absenteeism
Students
Teacher salaries
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Summary:This paper analyses the determinants of pupil achievement of middle school students using purpose-built data collected on 8th grade pupils in private and government schools in urban and rural Lahore (2002-2003). It tests the veracity of the anecdotal concern that private school pupils learn more than their government school counterparts, by estimating OLS education production functions on students in both school types. The paper also examines whether teacher and school factors commonly used to measure school quality are significant in explaining variations in student achievement within the government and private sectors. Additionally, the paper focuses on the importance of student school attendance in explaining Maths and Reading skills. The data suggest that private schools are more effective than government schools in imparting Maths and Reading skills to pupils. The results also suggest that conventional teacher variables (such as pay and training) are poor indicators of teacher quality in both school types. Finally, student absenteeism appears to negatively affect pupils learning in Maths in government and private schools.
ISSN:0030-9729
DOI:10.30541/v42i4iipp.841-876