Education

J-PAL’s Education sector seeks to improve access to and delivery of high-quality schooling at the primary and post-primary levels through research on issues like pedagogy, teacher training, incentives (for children, for teachers, for families), school governance, early childhood development, and information and communications technology.

In addition to supporting policymakers in applying evidence from randomized evaluations to their work, sector chairs and staff write policy insights that synthesize general lessons emerging from the research, condense results from evaluations in policy publications and evaluation summaries, and fund new research through the Learning for All Initiative.

Past education sector initiatives include the Post Primary Education Initiative and the Foundations of Learning Initiative.

three children play on the ground while two seated adults watch
Policy Publication

Measurement of Holistic Skills in RCTs: Review and Guidelines

J-PAL recently launched its Learning for All Initiative, which has a core focus on breadth of skills. There is much to learn about whether and how interventions can affect skills that extend beyond literacy and numeracy, including cognitive skills, social skills, emotional skills, creative skills...

Adolescent girls holding a poster and talking to their classmates about menstruation in Madagascar
Evaluation

Increasing Menstrual Hygiene Awareness to Reduce School Dropout among Adolescent Girls in Madagascar

Researchers evaluated the impact of a program addressing constraints related to hygiene infrastructure and access to sanitary products while addressing social stigma around menstruation, on girls’ learning and psychosocial well-being in Madagascar. The program led to improvements in academic...

Children study in a classroom.
Blog

Mitigating global learning losses: lessons from the pandemic

Researchers and policymakers in education are still only beginning to measure the significant learning and socio-emotional skill losses that occurred during the global outbreak of the coronavirus. This post outlines some ideas from recent and established rigorous research for governments and schools...

Teens in school uniforms work on assignment
Evaluation

Multigenerational Benefits to Secondary Schooling in Ghana

A study conducted in Ghana over 15 years evaluated the benefits of secondary school scholarships on both education and health outcomes.

Improving student learning: impacts by gender
Policy Insight

Improving student learning: Impacts by gender

Most programs to improve student learning have similar impacts on girls and boys. However, policymakers should consider potential different effects by gender while designing programs since, in some cases, program design choices led to different impacts on girls and boys.

Girls and teacher standing up at a classroom in Mozambique
Evaluation

Gender Violence and School Achievement in Mozambique

In Mozambique, researchers are evaluating the GBV and schooling impacts of implementing a GBV curriculum targeted at students.

Students working at a Mindspark center in Delhi.
Evaluation

Disrupting Education? Evidence on Technology-Aided Instruction in India

Researchers evaluated a computer-based adaptive learning platform (Mindspark) for secondary school students in urban India to measure the impact of customized learning technology on student test scores. The program increased test scores across all groups of students and was cost-effective compared...

TaRL activities taking place in a classroom in Gujarat, India
Evidence to Policy

Teaching at the Right Level to improve learning

Reorienting instruction has improved learning opportunities for over 60 million students in India and Africa.

Sector Chairs

head shot of sule alan

Co-Líder, Education

Professor of Economics and Behavioral Science

Cornell University and Bilkent University

Photo of Rachel Glennerster

Co-Líder, Education

Associate Professor

University of Chicago

Co-Líder, Education

Tata Chancellor’s Professor of Economics

University of California, San Diego

Co-Líder, Education

Professor of Economics and Public Policy

University of Toronto

Abhijeet Singh

Co-Líder, Education

Associate Professor of Economics

Stockholm School of Economics

Sector Contacts

Headshot of Anushka Bansal

Senior Policy Associate, J-PAL Global

Madeline Brancel

Policy Manager, J-PAL Global

Headshot of Nicole (Nicah) Santos

Senior Policy Associate, J-PAL Global

Headshot of Jessica Williams

Senior Policy Associate, J-PAL Global