The evolution of educational access, quality, and gender inequalities in the public education sector in Punjab, Pakistan
: A school-level panel data analysis

  • Saba Arshad

Student thesis: Doctoral ThesisDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Abstract

This thesis contributes to knowledge on access, quality, and gender inequalities in education in the context of the Punjab Education Sector Reform Programme (PERSP) initiated in 2004. It draws on data from the annual school census of all public schools in Punjab (2003-2018) combined, for the first time, with school-level exit exam achievement data (2008-2018). Three individual research studies explored distinct, yet inter-related, aspects of the PESRP’s impact.
The first study focused on gender inequalities in education measured in two forms: rights to education (enrolment) and rights within education (student-teacher and classroom ratios, teachers’ qualifications, access to basic facilities, and exam results). A descriptive analysis explored how gender inequalities varied across school grades and educational indicators in 2018 and how these evolved over an 11–18-year period. The results clarify where progress toward gender equality has been most rapid. For example, females now outperform males in exit exams. However, the results also highlight areas where females continue to be disadvantaged.
The second study investigated whether rapid increases in school enrolment were associated with a deterioration in learning outcomes and explored the potential mediating role of changes in school resource levels. Panel data models that isolate within-school changes showed that enrolment expansion was associated with a slight decline in exam pass rates, but this cannot be accounted for by changes in school input measures like increased student-teacher ratios.
The third study provides empirical evidence about the long-term effect of a conditional cash transfer programme on girls’ enrolment using quasi-experimental evaluation techniques. The results showed that when district-level clustering in the data is accounted for, there is insufficient variation to identify significant causal effects of the programme, a finding that contrasts with previous research. Together, the results provide new knowledge on how educational access and quality have improved since PESRP was implemented but also identify areas in which the evidence base is weak or where further policy action is needed.



Date of Award15 Jul 2024
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • University of Bristol
SupervisorE V Washbrook (Supervisor) & George B Leckie (Supervisor)

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