School effectiveness in developing countries - A summary of the research evidence -
Education Research Paper
No. 01, 1993, 25 p.
[Previous Page] [Table of Contents] [Next Page]
Section 7: Policy implications
Lockheed & Verspoor (1991) focus on improving primary education, and categorise a
range of investment options as 'promising avenues' or 'blind alleys' as follows (a blind
alley may be ineffective, or too expensive):
|
promising avenues |
blind alleys | |
|
curriculum |
improve implemented curriculum |
adjust intended curriculum |
|
learning materials |
good textbooks/teacher guides |
computers in classroom |
|
time |
at least 25 hours per week for core |
class size reductions below |
|
teaching |
inservice training, interactive radio |
lengthy preservice pedagogical straining |
|
teachability |
preschools targeted at disadvantaged, |
school lunches |
Several of these points are reinforced in USAID (1990), quoted in Singh (1991, p50) in
particular
* programmed teaching/learning systems provide an effective, affordable
and sustainable means to improve the quality of primary education,
especially in settings where teachers are poorly trained and in short
supply.
* interactive radio instruction (IRI) has improved levels of student
achievement significantly in traditional primary schools during the past 15
years at very low cost. IRI has also increased access to primary education
through non-formal radio schools.
* typical preservice teacher training contributes little to educational