From Learning to Earnings: Dr. Tahir Andrabi Shares Groundbreaking Findings on Foundational Learning
The Syed Ahsan Ali and Syed Maratib Ali School of Education (SOE) and the Mahbub ul Haq Research Centre (MHRC) hosted Dr. Tahir Andrabi for a compelling discussion on the long-term impacts of improving foundational learning in Pakistan. Dr. Andrabi, Professor of Economics at Pomona College and Principal Investigator of the Learning and Educational Achievement in Pakistan Schools (LEAPS) project, presented findings from one of the most comprehensive longitudinal education studies conducted globally.
The LEAPS study has tracked the same cohort of children in rural Pakistan for over 15 years, following them from primary school into early adulthood. This unprecedented research reveals that the quality of primary schooling has durable effects on educational attainment, skill retention, and labour market outcomes.
Dr. Andrabi's findings demonstrate that even modest improvements in foundational learning yield significant returns. Students who received better early education completed more years of schooling and experienced an 11% increase in lifetime wages. The research demonstrates that investments in foundational learning outperform most traditional development interventions.
The study also highlighted critical shifts in Pakistan's education landscape over the past two decades. The research documented improvements in learning outcomes across both public and private schools, while revealing stark gender disparities in labour market opportunities.
Dr. Andrabi, who served as SOE's inaugural Dean and was instrumental in the School's establishment, emphasised that Pakistan is entering a virtuous cycle where each generation is more educated than the last; with the current generation representing the first in which mothers themselves are educated.
The session was moderated by Dr. Tayyaba Tamim, Dean of SOE.
