Incentives to Learn

The authors report results from a randomized evaluation of a merit scholarship program for adolescent girls in Kenya. Girls who scored well on academic exams received a cash grant and had school fees paid. Girls eligible for the scholarship showed significant gains in academic examination scores (average gain 0.15 standard deviations). There was considerable sample attrition and no significant program impact in the smaller of the two program districts, but in the other district girls showed large gains (average gain 0.22-0.27 standard deviations), and these gains persisted one full year following the competition. There is also evidence of positive program externalities on learning-boys (who were ineligible for the awards) also showed sizable average test gains. Both student and teacher school attendance increased in the program schools.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Kremer, Michael, Miguel, Edward, Thornton, Rebecca, Ozier, Owen
Language:	English
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2005-03
Subjects:	ACADEMIC ABILITY, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, ACADEMIC YEAR, ADOLESCENT GIRLS, ADOLESCENTS, ATTENTION, CALL, CLASS SIZE, CLASSROOM LEARNING, DROP-OUT RATES, DROPOUT RATES, EDUCATIONAL INPUTS, EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES, ENROLLMENT, FAMILIES, FREE EDUCATION, FREE PRIMARY, GENDER, GIRLS, HABITS, INDIVIDUAL LEARNING, INDIVIDUAL STUDY, INFERENCE, IRON, KNOWLEDGE LEVELS, LABOR MARKET, LEARNING, LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, MOTIVATION, NEGATIVE EFFECTS, PAPERS, PARENTS, PER CAPITA INCOME, PERCEPTION, PRIMARY EDUCATION, PRIMARY SCHOOL, PRIMARY SCHOOLS, PSYCHOLOGY, RECALL, RECOGNITION, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, SCHOLARSHIPS, SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, SCHOOL COMMITTEES, SCHOOL ORGANIZATION, SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, SCHOOL UNIFORMS, SCHOOLING, SCHOOLS, SIBLINGS, STUDENT ATTITUDES, TEACHER, TEACHER STRIKES, TEACHERS, TEACHING, TEST SCORES, TEXTBOOKS, URBAN AREAS, VICTIMS, VIOLENCE, YOUTH,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2005/06/6046914/incentives-learn https://hdl.handle.net/10986/8200
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