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When student incentives do not work: Evidence from a field experiment in Malawi

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  • Berry, James
  • Kim, Hyuncheol Bryant
  • Son, Hyuk Harry

Abstract

We study how the structure of tournament incentive schemes in education can influence the level and distribution of student outcomes. Through a field experiment among upper-primary students in Malawi, we evaluate two scholarship programs: a Population-based scholarship that rewarded overall top performers on an exam and a Bin-based scholarship that rewarded the top performers within smaller groups of students with similar baseline scores. We find that the Population-based scholarship decreased test scores and motivation to study, especially for those least likely to win. By contrast, we find no evidence for test score impacts among those in the Bin-based scholarship program.

Suggested Citation

  • Berry, James & Kim, Hyuncheol Bryant & Son, Hyuk Harry, 2022. "When student incentives do not work: Evidence from a field experiment in Malawi," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:158:y:2022:i:c:s0304387822000566
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2022.102893
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    student incentives; Education policy; Field experiments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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