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Abstract
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Before
Schools can play a critical role in shaping norms around violence, inclusion, and gender equality, particularly in contexts affected by insecurity and social tensions. In northern Benin, rising concerns related to violent extremism pose challenges to social cohesion, student well-being, and learning environments. Can teacher training that promotes non-violent, inclusive pedagogy improve classroom practices and reduce violence in schools? And do such changes translate into improved educational and socio-emotional outcomes for students? This study addresses these questions through a randomized controlled trial evaluating a school-based intervention implemented in 100 primary schools in the Donga department of Benin. Led by “Foundation Graines de Paix”, the program trains primary school teachers using an approach designed to foster relational skills, non-violence, peace-building, respect for diversity, and the prevention of violence, including extremism and GBV. The objective is to create safer and more inclusive learning environments.
The study examines whether teacher training improves pedagogical practices and disciplinary approaches, as well as students’ educational outcomes, reported violence, emotional well-being and gender attitudes. Finally, the analysis explores heterogeneous effects by gender to shed light on the distributional implications of the intervention.
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After
Schools can play a critical role in shaping norms around violence, inclusion, and gender equality, particularly in contexts affected by insecurity and social tensions. In northern Benin, rising concerns related to violent extremism pose challenges to social cohesion, student well-being, and learning environments. Can teacher training that promotes non-violent, inclusive pedagogy improve classroom practices and reduce violence in schools? And do such changes translate into improved educational and socio-emotional outcomes for students? This study addresses these questions through a randomized controlled trial evaluating a school-based intervention implemented in 100 primary schools in the Donga department of Benin. Led by “Foundation Graines de Paix”, the program trains primary school teachers using an approach designed to foster relational skills, non-violence, peace-building, respect for diversity, and the prevention of violence, including extremism and GBV. The objective is to create safer and more inclusive learning environments.
The study examines whether teacher training improves pedagogical practices and disciplinary approaches, as well as students’ educational outcomes, reported violence, emotional well-being, gender attitudes, socio-emotional skills (emotion regulation, perspective taking, bystander behaviour), their sense of belonging and their participation in classroom decision-making. On the teacher side, it looks at teachers' beliefs about inclusion, student–teacher relationships and gender in education. A parent survey adds exploratory evidence on how the intervention is seen and whether it reaches households.
We will also explore heterogeneity of the treatment effects by gender to shed light on the distributional implications of the intervention.
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Last Published
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March 16, 2026 07:00 AM
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October 06, 2026 12:43 PM
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Intervention Start Date
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December 01, 2025
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December 18, 2025
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Primary Outcomes (End Points)
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Before
- Students’ Educational Outcomes: School enrolment, learning outcomes (performance in standardized tests (EGMA and EGRA)).
- Students’ report of violence experienced and reporting behaviour
- Disciplinary practices reported by students and by teachers
- Students’ socio-emotional competencies (including empathy and prosocial behaviour).
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After
- Students’ Educational Outcomes: School enrolment, learning outcomes (performance in standardized tests (EGMA and EGRA)), plus an Applied Maths test and writing exercise.
- Students’ report of violence experienced and reporting behaviour (including bystander behaviour).
- Disciplinary practices reported by students and by teachers.
- Students’ socio-emotional competencies.
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Experimental Design (Public)
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We randomly allocate the schools in two groups:
T: 50 schools (1000 students and 200 teachers)
C: 50 schools (1000 students and 200 teachers)
Randomization was stratified by commune (second-level administrative division), resulting in four strata: Bassila, Copargo, Djougou, and Ouaké.
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After
We randomly allocate the schools in two groups:
T: 50 schools (1000 students and 200 teachers)
C: 50 schools (1000 students and 200 teachers)
Randomization was stratified by commune (second-level administrative division), resulting in four strata: Bassila, Copargo, Djougou, and Ouaké.
At midline, we will additionally survey a random subsample of approximately 500 parents of sampled students, targeting five per school across treatment and control schools.
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Planned Number of Observations
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2000 students from grades 3, 4, 5, 6 of Primary School (i.e., CE1, CE2, CM1, CM2) 1000 males and 1000 females. 400 teachers, 310 males and 90 females.
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2000 students from grades 3, 4, 5, 6 of Primary School (i.e., CE1, CE2, CM1, CM2) 1000 males and 1000 females. 400 teachers, 310 males and 90 females.
At midline, we also plan to survey a random subsample of approximately 500 parents (or caregivers) of sampled students (five per school). No baseline data were collected from parents.
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Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
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50 schools in Control:
- 1000 students (500 females and 500 males)
- 200 teachers(44 females, 156 males)
50 schools in Treatment:
- 1000 students (500 females and 500 males)
- 200 teachers (46 females, 154 males)
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After
50 schools in Control:
- 1000 students (500 females and 500 males)
- 200 teachers (44 females, 156 males)
- Approximately 250 parents surveyed at midline only
50 schools in Treatment:
- 1000 students (500 females and 500 males)
- 200 teachers (46 females, 154 males)
- Approximately 250 parents surveyed at midline only
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Secondary Outcomes (End Points)
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Before
- Students’ emotional well-being
- Teachers’ mental health
- Teachers’ gender-related attitudes
- Implementation Fidelity and Dosage
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After
- Students’ emotional well-being and sense of belonging at school.
- Students' attitudes towards gender roles.
- Teachers’ mental health and emotion regulation.
- Teachers’ gender-related attitudes
- Teachers' beliefs and practices about inclusion.
- Teachers' attitudes towards their relationships with students.
- Teacher-reported violence: witnessing violence, and sexual harassment (in school vs. outside school).
- Implementation Fidelity and Dosage (measured by teachers' self-reported participation in APEV)
- Parents' discipline practices at home
- Parents' attitudes towards and community norms on corporal punishment
- Parent-reported violence at school and reporting behaviour
- Children's participation in decisions at home
- Parents' gender attitudes
- Parents' engagement with the school
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