The Skills-Based Approach in the African Context : a Comparative Analysis of the Ivorian and Senegalese Experiences

Through a comparative analysis of the Ivorian and Senegalese experiences, this article examines the effects of the Skills-Based Approach (SBA) on learning quality. To achieve it, we use a hierarchical linear model in which the SBA effectiveness is captured by a proxy variable, integrated at the second level of the model, and estimated using an extension of Hanchane and Mostafa's endogeneity bias resolution technique. Based on a variance decomposition of the standardized education assessment dataset from the Programme d'Analyse des Systèmes Educatifs de la CONFEMEN (PASEC) conducted in 2014, our findings highlight the sources of learning inequalities in Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal, as well as the impact of socioeconomic and school resources factors on cognitive skills acquisition. Furthermore, our empirical results show the SBA’s negative impact and the importance of conducting an in-depth analysis of the international educational policy transfer and implementation within national education systems in light of their political, economic, and social differences