Technical Efficiency of Primary Schools and Its Non-Input Determinants: A Case Study in Assam, North-Eastern India

Abstract

This abstract has measured the technical efficiency of government-aided lower primary schools in Hailakandi district, a disadvantaged and remote region of southern Assam in North-eastern India based on a robust sample of 95 schools covering 718 children. Enrolment, attendance and learning outcomes are taken as output indicators. The results indicate that inputs such as quality of school infrastructure and teachers’ contact hours influence the composite output index positively and significantly. However, among on-input factors, monthly frequency of mid-day meals, average body mass index (BMI) of interviewed children and educational qualifications of teachers have positive influences on school-level technical efficiency, while remoteness and lack of accessibility have a negative influence on the same. The study claims that school performance can be significantly improved if school infrastructure is enhanced by constructing separate and independent classrooms for each grade along with the appointment of teachers up to full capacity. JEL Codes: C51, C83, D24, I21, I28