Education
In addition to supporting policymakers in applying evidence from randomized evaluations to their work, sector chairs and staff write policy insights that synthesize general lessons emerging from the research, condense results from evaluations in policy publications and evaluation summaries, and fund new research through the Learning for All Initiative.
Past education sector initiatives include the Post Primary Education Initiative and the Foundations of Learning Initiative.
File: Policy publication
Measurement of Holistic Skills in RCTs: Review and Guidelines
J-PAL recently launched its Learning for All Initiative, which has a core focus on breadth of skills. There is much to learn about whether and how interventions can affect skills that extend beyond literacy and numeracy, including cognitive skills, social skills, emotional skills, creative skills...
Evaluation
Addressing Menstrual Stigma and Hygiene to Improve Education and Psychosocial Well-Being among Adolescent Girls in Madagascar
Researchers evaluated the impact of a program addressing constraints related to hygiene infrastructure and access to sanitary products while addressing social stigma around menstruation, on girls’ learning and psychosocial well-being in Madagascar. The program led to improvements in academic...
Blog
Mitigating global learning losses: lessons from the pandemic
Researchers and policymakers in education are still only beginning to measure the significant learning and socio-emotional skill losses that occurred during the global outbreak of the coronavirus. This post outlines some ideas from recent and established rigorous research for governments and schools...
Evaluation
Multigenerational Benefits to Secondary Schooling in Ghana
A study conducted in Ghana over 15 years evaluated the benefits of secondary school scholarships on both education and health outcomes.
Policy insight
Improving student learning: Impacts by gender
Most programs to improve student learning have similar impacts on girls and boys. However, policymakers should consider potential different effects by gender while designing programs since, in some cases, program design choices led to different impacts on girls and boys.
Evaluation
Gender Violence and School Achievement in Mozambique
In Mozambique, researchers are evaluating the GBV and schooling impacts of implementing a GBV curriculum targeted at students.
Evaluation
Disrupting Education? Evidence on Technology-Aided Instruction in India
Researchers evaluated a computer-based adaptive learning platform (Mindspark) for secondary school students in urban India to measure the impact of customized learning technology on student test scores. The program increased test scores across all groups of students and was cost-effective compared...
Case study
Teaching at the Right Level to improve learning
Reorienting instruction has improved learning opportunities for over 60 million students in India and Africa.
