Access and quality are two fundamental dimensions of any public service: healthcare, infrastructure, and, of course, education.
Though each dimension is important, the greatest, most actionable insight might come from investigating the connection and interaction between the two.
The motivating premise of this book is that in a dynamic and complex system such as primary education, access and quality must be considered together. To investigate and explore access to education, education quality, and the potential connection between the two, this book analyzes three issues: grade repetition, private primary schools, and school fees. These issues were selected for their importance to primary education policy and practice and for the way in which they illustrate the complex association between access and quality. The heart of the book is comprised of three chapters, each of which focuses on one of these issues, including a review of the topic and detailed, empirical, mixed-methods analysis of research questions that test an association between access and quality. This work brings to light new understanding of access, quality, Ugandan primary education, and accordingly, the Global Learning Crisis. This website includes a brief highlight from each of the three chapters.
Empirical Chapters
Chapter 5: Grade Repetition
Does repeating a grade increase the likelihood that a child will drop out of school?
Chapter 6: Private Primary Schools
What predicts transfer into private primary schools? Is there a difference in quality between private and public schools?
Chapter 7: School Fees
Does an intervention that supports the payment of school fees improve school quality? Does that same intervention also affect access? Are these effects experienced equally by children of different socioeconomic status?