Temperature and Learning in West and Central Africa

• In Event: 21020 - Section on Sociology of Education Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 9: Childhood Experiences and Educational Outcomes

Abstract

In this paper, we combine georeferenced temperature data with newly released learning data from 8 West and Central African (WCA) countries in the Programme on the Analysis of Education Systems (PASEC). In the first part of the paper, we provide benchmark estimates of the effect of high temperatures on learning outcomes in WCA, thus providing an important comparison point with other parts of the world. Our results reveal a clear temperature-learning gradient, with higher temperatures associated with lower test scores. Beyond direct effects, we explore mechanisms linking heat to learning, finding that higher temperatures increase reports of hunger and child labor among grade 6 students. We find gendered and socioeconomic differences: extreme heat disproportionately increases labor participation among girls, while its negative impact on test scores is concentrated among high-SES students, suggesting an erosion of compensatory advantage at high temperatures. These findings contribute to broader discussions on climate vulnerability and education by providing robust evidence of how temperature variations shape learning outcomes.

Authors

• Yabo Gwladys Vidogbena, University of Houston

• Risto Conte Conte Keivabu, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research

• Julia A Behrman, Northwestern University

• Liliana Andriano, University of Southampton