Pupils in rural, public and deprived-district schools score far lower: what the data shows
In 2013, 59.2 percent of urban Primary 6 pupils were proficient in English, against 27.1 percent of rural pupils. The gaps by school type and place are far larger than any gap between girls and boys.
Primary 6 English proficiency, 2013
Urban, private or non-deprivedRural, public or deprived
Share of pupils proficient (55 percent or more correct). NEA 2013, Ghana Education Service.
The figures
| Primary 6 English proficiency, 2013 (share of pupils proficient) | Urban, private or non-deprived | Rural, public or deprived |
|---|---|---|
| Urban against rural | 59.2 | 27.1 |
| Private against public | 74.2 | 29.7 |
| Non-deprived against deprived districts | 34.5 | 16.6 |
Primary 6 English mean score, 2016
Urban, private or non-deprivedRural, public or deprived
Mean score, percent correct. NEA 2016, Ghana Education Service. A different measure from 2013, so the two are not joined.
The figures
| Primary 6 English mean score, 2016 (percent correct) | Urban, private or non-deprived | Rural, public or deprived |
|---|---|---|
| Urban against rural | 55.97 | 41.59 |
| Private against public | 64.56 | 43.87 |
| Non-deprived against deprived districts | 50.35 | 38.37 |
Primary 2 pupils scoring zero on English reading comprehension, 2015
Urban, private or non-deprivedRural, public or deprived
Share of pupils scoring zero. EGRA 2015, Ghana Education Service and USAID. Lower is better.
The figures
| Urban, private or non-deprived | Rural, public or deprived | |
|---|---|---|
| Non-deprived against deprived districts | 69.3 | 85.9 |
| Urban against rural | 60.5 | 80.4 |
What the data show
- In 2013, 59.2 percent of urban Primary 6 pupils were proficient in English, against 27.1 percent of rural pupils. In private schools it was 74.2 percent against 29.7 percent in public schools. In deprived districts it was 16.6 percent against 34.5 percent in other districts.
- In 2016 the mean English score was 64.56 percent correct in private schools and 43.87 in public schools. Urban pupils scored 55.97 and rural pupils 41.59.
- In 2015, 80.4 percent of rural Primary 2 pupils scored zero on English reading comprehension, against 60.5 percent of urban pupils.
- These gaps are larger than any difference by sex. On the same tests the largest gap between girls and boys was 2.8 points. The smallest gap by place, school type or district was 12.0 points.
- We show the numbers side by side. We do not say the gaps are narrowing, because the 2013 and 2016 rounds show no significant national change.
What the data cannot say. We cannot say that the gaps are narrowing or widening. The 2016 report found no significant national change between 2013 and 2016, and we hold no later round. We cannot say why rural, public and deprived-district pupils score lower. The data show the gaps and do not show causes. We cannot compare the 2013 proficiency figures with the 2016 mean scores. They are different measures. We cannot say anything about learning after 2016. The latest assessment we hold is the 2016 NEA, and the latest reading test is from 2015.
Questions people ask
- Do private schools perform better than public schools in Ghana?
- In the national assessments we hold, yes. In 2013, 74.2 percent of private school Primary 6 pupils were proficient in English, against 29.7 percent in public schools. In 2016 the mean scores were 64.56 and 43.87 percent correct. The data do not say why, and they cover pupils who were tested, not every school.
- What is the difference between rural and urban schools in Ghana?
- In 2013, 59.2 percent of urban Primary 6 pupils were proficient in English against 27.1 percent of rural pupils. In 2015, 80.4 percent of rural Primary 2 pupils scored zero on English reading comprehension, against 60.5 percent of urban pupils.
- What is a deprived district?
- The assessments split districts into deprived and non-deprived groups. We hold the groups as the reports label them and not the list of districts or the rule used. In 2013, 16.6 percent of Primary 6 pupils in deprived districts were proficient in English, against 34.5 percent elsewhere.
- How do you measure learning in Ghana?
- The National Education Assessment (NEA) tests samples of Primary 3, 4 and 6 pupils in English and maths. A pupil is proficient with 55 percent or more correct. The Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) tests Primary 2 pupils one by one on reading in English and Ghanaian languages.