Equity, educational access and learning outcomes in the Middle East and North Africa

The study examines inequalities in access, attainment and learning outcomes in MENA, focusing on the primary and lower secondary levels and addressing three main research questions: 1. How do children flow through education systems in MENA from preschool to high school, and how many complete schooling at different levels? 2. What are the characteristics of the children in MENA countries who continue to different levels of the school system, and how do these children compare with those who drop out at different levels and become out of school? 3. Which children are learning less, and how do they differ from those with higher levels of achievement? Countries are clustered into four groups based on their gross national income per capita and Human Development Index, and the challenges common to each group are detailed. Using the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) data, household surveys and census data, the study provides updated insights into staggering educational inequalities.