Educators and education policy makersare concerned with creating the best possible learningenvironment for students. How to do this, especially inprimary school, where reading, writing and mathematicalskills are first acquired, is the subject of policy debatesin many parts of the world. Should teachers be paid more?Can students be rewarded for good test results? Do schoolsneed more supplies and better infrastructure? Should parentshave access to better information about the quality ofschools and parental rights and responsibilities? There areno clear answers yet. The World Bank supported a study ofgovernment-run primary schools in the state of AndhraPradesh in India. The project, incorporating 500 schools,concluded that giving teachers cash bonuses based on theimprovement in student performance was more effective atraising test results than giving schools cash grants forsupplies or additional teachers. This project, which looksat only one school system in one country, will not end thedebate over how to boost student performance. But it doesoffer a piece of the puzzle to help steer policy makers andeducators as they move forward with new educational programsand projects.
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