Does remedial activity with math workbook improve learning? Empirical evidence from scaled-up intervention in Niger

Abstract:

A set of interventions, including distribution of math workbooks and training of activity facilitators, was scaled up by the government of Niger from 2017 to 2018, targeting approximately 310,000 students from 1st to 4th grade in around 3,500 public schools. The scaled-up interventions tried to help the students improve basic math learning through extra-curricular remedial activity. Because of budget constraint, the distribution of math workbooks was limited to students from 1st to 4th grade, not covering 5th and 6th grades. Focusing on the discontinuity of intervention between 4th and 5th grade students, this study investigated the impact of the interventions on student math learning using three-round survey data. The average impact of the interventions is estimated to be 0.36 to 0.38 standard deviations of test scores. The impact is larger for students with lower baseline scores.