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Reading and numeracy skills after school leaving in southern Malawi: A longitudinal analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Soler-Hampejsek, Erica
  • Mensch, Barbara S.
  • Psaki, Stephanie R.
  • Grant, Monica J.
  • Kelly, Christine A.
  • Hewett, Paul C.

Abstract

The extent to which skills acquired during schooling are retained after school-leaving in developing countries remains largely unknown. Using a longitudinal dataset of Malawian adolescents aged 14–17 attending school when first interviewed in 2007, we investigate whether literacy and numeracy skills at school leaving were retained several years after. We find a significant gender difference in skill level after school leaving for English skills, even after controlling for initial skill level and grade attainment, with females scoring lower than males. Although the gender difference in numeracy is not significant, females score lower than males after school leaving.

Suggested Citation

  • Soler-Hampejsek, Erica & Mensch, Barbara S. & Psaki, Stephanie R. & Grant, Monica J. & Kelly, Christine A. & Hewett, Paul C., 2018. "Reading and numeracy skills after school leaving in southern Malawi: A longitudinal analysis," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 86-99.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:injoed:v:59:y:2018:i:c:p:86-99
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2017.08.011
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Stephanie Psaki & Nicole Haberland & Barbara Mensch & Lauren Woyczynski & Erica Chuang, 2022. "Policies and interventions to remove gender‐related barriers to girls' school participation and learning in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A systematic review of the evidence," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(1), March.
    2. Matthew DiGiuseppe & Roos Haer, 2023. "The wedding bells of war: The influence of armed conflict on child marriages in West Africa," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 60(3), pages 474-488, May.
    3. Alexis Le Nestour & Laura Moscoviz & Justin Sandefur, 2022. "The Long-Run Decline of Education Quality in the Developing World," Working Papers 608, Center for Global Development, revised 22 Sep 2023.
    4. Stephanie R. Psaki & Erica Soler-Hampejsek & Jyotirmoy Saha & Barbara S. Mensch & Sajeda Amin, 2019. "The Effects of Adolescent Childbearing on Literacy and Numeracy in Bangladesh, Malawi, and Zambia," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(5), pages 1899-1929, October.

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