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Colonisation, School and Development in Africa. An empirical analysis

Author

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  • Denis Cogneau

    (DIAL, IRD, Paris)

Abstract

Macroeconomic data on 45 countries are combined with microeconomic data on 4 case-study countries to reveal significant differences in the levels of education attained under the different colonial powers in Africa during the colonial period. In 1960, former British colonies exhibited higher educational performance. These differences are robust to the control of some pre-colonial factors and have persisted over time until 1990. However, the education differential did not give rise to either income per capita or life expectancy differentials. Urbanisation occurred at a faster rate in the former French colonies. Microeconomic data for the case-study countries show indeed that private returns to education tend to be lower in the former British colonies. _________________________________ En combinant des données macro-économiques sur 45 pays et des données micro-économiques sur 4 pays comparables, nous révélons l’existence de différences entre les niveaux d’éducation atteints en Afrique selon l’identité du colonisateur. En 1960, les ex-colonies britanniques affichaient une performance éducative supérieure. Ces différences sont robustes au contrôle de certains facteurs pré-coloniaux et ont persisté dans le temps jusqu’en 1990. Cependant, le différentiel d’éducation ne s’est pas transformé en différences de revenu ou d’espérance de vie. Les ex-colonies françaises se sont urbanisées plus rapidement. Les données microéconomiques sur les pays d’étude montrent bien que les rendements privés de l’éducation tendent à être moins élevés dans les ex-colonies britanniques.

Suggested Citation

  • Denis Cogneau, 2003. "Colonisation, School and Development in Africa. An empirical analysis," Working Papers DT/2003/01, DIAL (Développement, Institutions et Mondialisation).
    • Handle: RePEc:dia:wpaper:dt200301
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Elise Huillery, 2011. "The Impact of European Settlement within French West Africa: Did Pre-colonial Prosperous Areas Fall Behind?," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 20(2), pages 263-311, March.
    2. Oasis Kodila-Tedika & Simplice A. Asongu & Julio Mukendi Kayembe, 2016. "Middle Class in Africa: Determinants and Consequences," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(4), pages 527-549, October.
    3. John Arierhi Ottuh & Nathaniel E. Ayetin & Andrew O. Okoro & Doris Dukuye, 2015. "British and French Educational Policies in Africa: Church Missionary and Enculturation Perspective," Studies in Social Sciences and Humanities, Research Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 2(1), pages 21-28.
    4. Horst Feldmann, 2016. "The Long Shadows of Spanish and French Colonial Education," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 69(1), pages 32-64, February.
    5. Cogneau, Denis & Moradi, Alexander, 2014. "Borders That Divide: Education and Religion in Ghana and Togo Since Colonial Times," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 74(3), pages 694-729, September.
    6. Kodila-Tedika, Oasis, 2013. "Esclavagisme et colonisation : Quelles conséquences contemporaines en Afrique ? - Résumé critique des travaux de l'économiste Nathan Nunn [Slavery and colonization: What contemporary consequences i," MPRA Paper 43732, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. repec:dau:papers:123456789/4316 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Buzasi, Katalin, 2012. "Does colonialism have an impact on the current language situation in Sub-Saharan Africa?," MPRA Paper 42791, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Fenske, James, 2010. "Institutions in African history and development: A review essay," MPRA Paper 23120, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Michael Clemens, 2004. "The Long Walk to School: International Education Goals in Historical Perspective," Working Papers 37, Center for Global Development.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Colonization; School; Development; Growth; Africa; Colonisation; Ecole; Développement; Croissance; Afrique.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N37 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Africa; Oceania
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
    • P51 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - Comparative Analysis of Economic Systems

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