The Impact of Supplementary Math Courses for Girls in Benin

  • R Research Project/Report/Study

I Inactive

Key Information

In partnership with the Institute for Empirical Research in Political Economy (IERPE), the National Institute for Math and Physics (IMSP), and the Ministry of Secondary Education, researchers are evaluating the impact and cost-effectiveness of temporary supplemental math teachers on girls’ numeracy skills, professional aspirations, and early career labor market outcomes. From a subset of schools that the Ministry of Secondary Education classified as having inadequate math instruction, researchers randomly selected 90 schools to compare how different variations of this intervention affected girls’ math skills. Researchers assigned schools to one of two supplementary teacher program variations or to a comparison group. Supplemental math teachers: IERPE and IMSP trained older male students to serve as supplementary teachers for three-month periods. Supplemental sessions were available to all students (both boys and girls) in an eligible class. Girls-only math and life skills supplement: IERPE and IMSP trained female supplemental teachers, but supplemental sessions were only available to girls and designed to cater to the specific needs and learning levels of female students. The female teachers in this group were also trained to give life skills training to the girls. Comparison group: No supplemental sessions were made available to students.


Lead Implementing Organization(s)

Location(s)

Sub-Saharan Africa

Benin

Government Affiliation

Government-affiliated program

Years

2016 - 2018

Partner(s)

Empirical Research in Political Economy (IERPE); National Institute for Math and Physics (IMSP); Ministry of Secondary Education

Ministry Affiliation

Benin Ministry of Secondary Education

Funder(s)

Not applicable or unknown

COVID-19 Response

Unknown

Geographic Scope

National

Meets gender-transformative education criteria from the TES  

Unknown

Areas of Work Back to Top

Education areas

Quality

  • Teacher training

Skills

  • Numeracy

Cross-cutting areas

  • Economic/livelihoods (including savings/financial inclusion, etc.)

Program participants

Target Audience(s)

Girls (both in school and out of school), Youth

Age

Not applicable or unknown

School Enrolment Status

Not applicable or unknown

School Level

Not applicable or unknown

Other populations reached

Not applicable or unknown

Participants include

Not applicable or unknown

Program Approaches Back to Top

Teaching

  • In-service teacher training – gender-responsive pedagogy
  • In-service teacher training – pedagogy general
  • Pre-service teacher training – gender-responsive pedagogy
  • Pre-service teacher training – pedagogy general

Program Goals Back to Top

Education goals

  • Improved academic skills (literacy and numeracy)

Cross-cutting goals

  • Increased employment/job-related skills