Factors Affecting Learning of Mexican Primary School Children
Contributor Name:
Sudakshina Mallick
Mexico’s economic development is hampered by a high degree of income inequality. A better educated and more productive labor force could lead to reduction in poverty levels and income inequality. This can be best achieved by designing and implementing programs to ensure that more Mexicans access and complete better quality primary education.
This paper examines factors affecting Mexican primary school children’s grade repetition rates and their educational outcomes as measured by reading and math scores in standardized tests. Results indicate that:
- Gender, socio-economic status, parental education levels and past repetition of a grade are significant determinants of math and language learning outcomes;
- Increased teaching hours and more student-teacher interaction, improved facilities and libraries improve math and language proficiency;
- Economic policies that provide stable, formal sector jobs for low-income, unskilled workers can improve children’s performance at school.