KEY FINDINGS
The Programme for the Analysis of Education Systems (PASEC) 2014 international student assessment has been administered in 10 countries in Francophone West Africa (Cameroon, Burundi, Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Chad, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, and Niger). PASEC is designed to assess student abilities in mathematics and reading French.
This information is crucial for promoting the World Bank’s results agenda systems approach for education in its 2010-2020 Education Sector Strategy.
1. Of the 10 countries that participated in PASEC 2014, Benin ranks fifth in providing equal access to quality education and third in educating its poorest girls.
2. Only a quarter of children are completing primary with sufficient proficiency in mathematics and reading, as defined by PASEC.
3. Significant disparities in achievement persist between students from the wealthiest 20 percent and those from the rest of the population.
1. Of the 10 countries that participated in PASEC 2014, Burkina Faso ranks fourth in providing equal access to quality education but sixth at educating its poorest girls.
2. Only 28 percent of children in Burkina Faso are completing primary with sufficient proficiency in mathematics and reading, as defined by PASEC.
3. Differences in learning achievement persist between wealthiest and poorest students, especially among girls. Improving outcomes for the poorest girls emerges as a key challenge going forward.
1. Burundi is the top performer of PASEC 2014, ranking first in terms of educating its children, educating its poorest girls, and providing equal access to quality education.
2. Differences between gender, wealth quintiles and other sub-populations are minimal. However, despite outperforming all other PASEC countries, only 34 percent of children complete primary school with sufficient competency in both mathematics and reading.
3. This is magnified by low primary completion rates compared to other PASEC countries.
1. Of the 10 countries that participated in PASEC 2014, Cameroon ranks sixth at educating its children, seventh at educating its poorest girls, and eighth at providing equal access to quality education.
2. Only 23 percent of children are completing primary with sufficient proficiency in mathematics and reading as defined by PASEC.
3. Large disparities in learning achievement persist in Cameroon except between boys and girls. Significant disparities in achievement persist between the wealthiest and poorest students.
4. Reducing inequality in learning outcomes especially for the poorest emerges as a key challenge.
1. Of the 10 countries that participated in PASEC, Chad ranks ninth at educating its children and at educating its poorest girls. It is 10th at providing equal access to quality education.
2. All sub-populations (gender, location, and wealth) perform poorly in PASEC 2014. The only notable disparity is between public and private schools.
3. Strengthening learning outcomes across the education system emerges as a predominant challenge for Chad.
1. Of the 10 countries that participated in PASEC, the Republic of Congo ranks seventh at educating its children, fourth at educating its poorest girls, and third at providing equal access to quality education.
2. Significant disparities in achievement persist between the wealthiest and poorest students. The wealthiest 20 percent outperform students from the rest of the population.
3. Private schools perform much better than public schools. The predominant challenge is improving learning outcomes beyond the wealthiest households.
1. Of the 10 countries that participated in PASEC 2014, Cote d’Ivoire ranks eight at educating its children and at educating its poorest girls.
2. It is second at providing equal access to quality education.
3. Low levels of inequality in learning outcomes in Cote d’Ivoire result from low achievement across the system.
1. Of the 10 countries that participated in PASEC 2014, Niger ranks 10th in educating its children, and educating its poorest girls. It ranks 9th in providing equal access to quality education.
2. Low achievement persists across all sub-populations in Niger, except private schools that perform quite well.
3. System wide interventions are needed to strengthen learning outcomes across the country.
1. Of the 10 countries that participated in PASEC 2014, Senegal ranks second, based on how many of its children complete primary with sufficient competency in reading and mathematics.
2. While Senegal also ranks second in educating its poorest girls, it ranks seventh at providing equitable access to quality education.
3. The significant disparities in achievement that persist between the wealthiest and poorest students show that Senegal is successful at educating its wealthiest children. However, the key challenge moving forward is to improve education outcomes for the rest.
1. Of the 10 countries that participated in PASEC, Togo ranks fifth in educating its poorest girls and 6th at providing equal access to quality education.
2. Only a quarter of children are completing primary with sufficient proficiency in mathematics and reading, as defined by PASEC.
3. Togo is successful at educating the wealthiest children; the key challenge going forward is improving education beyond the wealthiest children.