Relative merit-based scholarships, complementarities and peer effects in primary schools: Evidence from Malawi

There is a different mix of interventions in each year.

In 2014-2015, the main interventions consisted of two merit-based scholarship programs and feedback on student rank.. The first type of scholarship was a "relative merit-based" scholarship in which students were awarded a scholarship in the June 2015 standardized tests in six subjects, based on their performance relative to a reference group. The reference group consisted of bins of 100 students categorized by score on the December 2014 standardized tests. The top 15 students in the June 2015 final exam in each bin received a scholarship consisting of a cash award of 4500 Malawian Kwacha (approximately $6.60). Instead of the cash award, students could also choose from a set of school supplies whose value were similar to the cash award.

The second type of scholarship was a standard merit-based scholarship program in which the top 15 percent of students on the final exam were given the award.

In addition, a randomly selected half of the students were provided feedback in the form of their test scores on the March 2015 mid-term exam.

In 2016, the main interventions consist of the relative merit-based scholarship program, as described above, and an after-school mathematics tutoring program. The relative merit-based scholarship program uses the March 2016 exam scores to form bins of similar students. The final exam is conducted in July 2016. During the second year, only the mathematics portion of the test is considered for the incentive.

The mathematics tutoring program consists of after-school tutoring for a subgroup of students between May and June 2016. Tutors are recruited, trained, and supervised by Africa Future Foundation. Half of students in selected grades will be eligible for tutoring, with the remaining students eligible for tutoring in subsequent semesters. Students eligible for tutoring will by randomly assigned to tutoring groups of sizes of 4, 6, 8, or 10.

2015-02-01

2016-06-30

In the first year, the main outcomes are test scores and rank on the June 2015 final exams. In the second year, the main outcomes are mathematics test scores and rank on the July 2016 final exams. Test scores and rank on other tests are also outcomes of interest in the second year. Additional outcomes in both years consist of student attendance and survey-based outcomes on study effort, motivation, and additional cognitive testing.

In 2014-2015, the relative merit-based and merit-based scholarships were randomized across 118 grades (5-8) within 31 schools. The feedback was randomized individually to half of the students within these schools and grades. The grades were assigned as follows:

Group 1 (46 grades): Merit-based scholarship based on final exam rank, feedback of the midterm exam rank given to half of the students.
Group 2 (42 grades): Relative merit-based scholarship based on final exam rank, feedback of the midterm exam rank given to half of the students.
Group 3 (30 grades): No scholarship, feedback of the midterm exam rank given to half of the students.


In 2016, 122 grades (4-7) in 31 schools are randomized as follows:
Group 1 (21 grades): No scholarship, no tutoring
Group 2 (40 grades): No scholarship, tutoring randomly assigned to half of students
Group 3 (21 grades): Scholarship, no tutoring
Group 4 (40 grades): Scholarship, tutoring randomly assigned to half of students

Students eligible for tutoring will be randomly assigned to tutoring groups of sizes of 4, 6, 8, or 10.

Computer.

Year 1: Relative merit-based scholarships, merit-based scholarships, and the control group were assigned at the grade-school level. Whether the student received information on relative ranking in the class was assigned at the student level.

Year 2: Relative merit-based scholarships are assigned at the grade-school level. Tutoring class is assigned to grades, then to randomly selected students within selected grades.

Yes

Year 1: 121 classes in 31 schools (5th-8th graders)
Year 2: 122 classes in 31 schools (4th-7th graders)

Year 1: 8,000 students; Year 2: 8,000 students

Year 1: 46 grades merit scholarship, 42 grades relative merit scholarship, 30 grades control.
4000 students in feedback treatment, 4000 students not in feedback treatment.

Year 2:
Group 1 (21 grades): No scholarship, no tutoring
Group 2 (40 grades): No scholarship, tutoring randomly assigned to 1/3 of students (approximately 1300 students with tutoring, 1300 without)
Group 3 (21 grades): Scholarship, no tutoring
Group 4 (40 grades): Scholarship, tutoring randomly assigned to 1/2 of students (approximately 1300 students with tutoring, 1300 without)