Abstract
Using a new indicator of government quality, two different indicators of educational performance and two different datasets covering up to 120 countries, this study finds robust evidence that a higher quality of government improves educational performance. This is probably because a competent bureaucracy, a good legal system, and an able government that is responsive to its people all combine to support and impel education providers to achieve high standards. By contrast, poor governance, as exemplified by widespread corruption, military involvement in politics and a weak, incompetent and unpopular government, hampers the working of the educational system, thus reducing learning outcomes.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 183-198 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Economics & Politics |
| Volume | 38 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 27 Sept 2025 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 31 Mar 2026 |
Data Availability Statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.Funding
The author received no specific funding for this work.
UN SDGs
This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Keywords
- education
- governance
- human capital
- quality of government
- student achievement tests
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Economics and Econometrics
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