How critical is education for economic development in Africa? Stefano Pagliarani in his latest study published in the quarterly journal "Edukacja" examines the relationship between human capital (as measured by Harmonized Learning Outcomes) and GDP per capita in African countries.
How critical is education for economic development in Africa? Stefano Pagliarani in his latest study published in the quarterly journal "Edukacja" examines the relationship between human capital (as measured by Harmonized Learning Outcomes) and GDP per capita in African countries. We find a robust correlation: a one-standard deviation increase in human capital is associated with a striking $400 increase in GDP per capita.
Crucially, our findings suggest the COVID-19 pandemic's educational disruptions could translate into a substantial economic loss, potentially ranging from $70 to $330 per capita. This research underscores the urgent need for consistent and reliable school performance data across the continent.
Stefano Pagliarani is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Warsaw. In his research, he focuses on behavioral aspects of education, including student attitudes and well-being. He also studies developing educational systems, with an emphasis on achievement gaps and support for disadvantaged schools.