The impact of after-school homework and parental involvement on learning achievement of teenage boys and girls from low-income households in Kenya

• In Event: Citizen and community involvement

Proposal

This paper examines the impact of a community based intervention (known as “Advancing Learning Outcomes for Transformational Change” or “ALOT-Change”) on learning achievement of teenage boys and girls from low income households residing in two large slums in Nairobi, Kenya. The paper utilizes baseline and endline impact evaluation data collected by APHRC from 946 pupils (443 boys and 503 girls) in 2016 and 2018, respectively.
Since the introduction of Free Primary Education policy in Kenya in 2003, available research evidence show that the country has done very well in bringing children to school but has scored poorly in ensuring that learning takes place among these children. Indeed, education researchers have expressed concerns that many children are going through the Kenyan school system without acquiring the basic skills needed for day-to-day living, or to pursue secondary education. Available evidence also show that low learning levels are more common among children from low-income households.
As an effort to improve learning achievement and transition to secondary school among children from low income urban households, the ALOT-Change model is being implemented by two community based organizations (namely Utena and Miss Koch) in Korogocho and Viwandani slums in Kenya, and being evaluated by African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC). The intervention study, which adopted a quasi-experimental design, focuses on how learning achievement and transition to secondary school among pupils could be improved by giving afterschool homework support to the pupils and encouraging parental involvement in the pupils' education.
Using descriptive methods, the authors investigate changes in learning scores (in mathematics and literacy) between baseline and endline among pupils in each of the two slums. Further, using difference-in-difference and multiple regression analyses techniques, the authors examine the changes in these scores among the cohort of pupils benefiting from the ALOT-Change intervention as compared to a non-benefiting cohort of pupils. Preliminary results show that the ALOT-Change intervention has significant impact on learning achievement. In addition, results show that the impact of the intervention remains significant even after taking into account key variables such as home background, pupil sex, and pupil age. The study will contribute to the debate regarding how to improve the quality of primary school education received by boys and girls from poor home backgrounds in sub-Saharan Africa.

Authors

• Maurice Mutisya, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)

• Njora Hungi, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)

• Benta Abuya, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)

• Nelson Gichuhi Muhia, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)