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What the Annual National Assessments can tell us about learning deficits over the education system and the school career year

Author

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  • Servaas van der Berg

    (Department of Economics, University of Stellenbosch)

Abstract

Much hope is placed on education systems to reduce socio-economic learning gaps. However, in South Africa, uneven functioning of the school system widens learning gaps. This paper analyses education performance using ANA data. Weak calibration and inter-temporal or inter-grade comparability of ANA test scores limit their usefulness for measuring learning gains. However, relative performance provides meaningful information on learning gaps and deficits. A reference group that is roughly on track to achieve the TIMSS average is used to estimate the performance required in each grade to perform at TIMSS’ low international benchmark. By Grade 4, patterns across quintiles of on-track performance approximate matric exemption patterns. Viewed differently, academic and labour market prospects may be bleak for children who are no longer on track. Improvement in outcomes requires greater emphasis on the Foundation Phase or earlier, before learning deficits have grown to the extreme levels observed by the middle of primary school. This statement is true whether deficits arise from weak early instruction, or simply because a disadvantaged home environment requires early remedial action. The emphasis on the early grades that this analysis of the ANAs suggests is contrary to the conclusions drawn from the ANA results by policy makers that weak test scores in Mathematics in Grade 9 require major interventions in that grade.

Suggested Citation

  • Servaas van der Berg, 2015. "What the Annual National Assessments can tell us about learning deficits over the education system and the school career year," Working Papers 18/2015, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:sza:wpaper:wpapers251
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    File URL: https://www.ekon.sun.ac.za/wpapers/2015/wp182015/wp-18-2015.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Servaas van der Berg, 2006. "How effective are poor schools? Poverty and educational outcomes in South Africa," Working Papers 06/2006, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    2. Nicholas Spaull & Janeli Kotze, 2014. "Starting Behind and Staying Behind in South Africa: The case of insurmountable learning deficits in mathematics," Working Papers 27/2014, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    3. Nic Spaull, 2011. "A Preliminary Analysis of SACMEQ III South Africa," Working Papers 11/2011, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    4. Spaull, Nicholas & Kotze, Janeli, 2015. "Starting behind and staying behind in South Africa," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 13-24.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Eldridge Moses, 2023. "Place, race and language: Secondary school 'choice' in South Africa's Gauteng province," Working Papers 03/2023, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    2. Servaas van der Berg & Chris van Wyk & Ronelle Burger & Janeli Kotzé & Marlies Piek & Kate Rich, 2017. "The performance of low fee independent schools in South Africa - What can available data tell?," Working Papers 01/2017, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    3. Gabrielle Wills, 2017. "What do you mean by ‘good’? The search for exceptional primary schools in South Africa’s no-fee school system," Working Papers 16/2017, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Education; inequality; quality of education;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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