Education and inclusive growth in West Africa

Abstract

PurposeMany West African countries face the challenge of growth inclusiveness. The region is also facing challenges of equipping its teeming population with high-quality skills despite many reforms and initiatives introduced in the past. This study, thus, identifies education as a crucial contributory factor to growth inclusiveness in the region. It, therefore, examined the role of education in growth inclusiveness in West Africa between 1990 and 2017.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilised different proxies to capture quantity and quality dimensions of education. The unit root and ARDL “Bounds” tests were employed at a preliminary stage. Based on the preliminary tests, the study explored autoregressive distributed lags modelling technique to capture the short-run and long-run dynamic effects.FindingsThe empirical results reveal a positive impact of school enrolment measures in most of the countries in both short-run and long-run. Education quality measure exerts positive impact and significant in few countries under consideration.Practical implicationsThese countries should give adequate attention to quality when designing education policy to foster their inclusive growth.Originality/valueThis study highlights the critical role of education in the inclusive growth pursuit. Education quantity is important to growth inclusiveness but the quality of education is more fundamental. The quality of education possessed determine to a large extent, what individual can contribute to the productive activities within the economy and accessibility to benefits from economic prosperity.

Tax structure, human capital, and inclusive growth: A sub‐Saharan Africa perspective

“…Nevertheless, public spending on education in the region is still relatively low which SSA countries could enhance to unlock the human capital potential for improving growth inclusiveness. These results further support the findings of Adeniyi et al (2020), Ogundari and Awokuse (2018), and Oyinlola and Adedeji (2019). Also, the health component of the human capital amplifies inclusive growth in SSA, thus supporting the theoretical presumption.…”

“…In essence, huge investment in human capital is essential for growth inclusiveness in SSA. Similarly, Adeniyi et al (2020) explains that both education quantity and quality are crucial for growth inclusiveness in the short-and long-run periods. Oyinlola and Adedeji (2019) also argue that human capital (in terms of quantity and efficiency) exerts a positive impact on inclusive growth in the sub-Saharan region.…”

“…The nature of economic growth especially regarding its lack of inclusiveness should prompt the need for SSA countries to revisit the drivers of their growths. Undoubtedly, some recent studies (such as Adeniyi et al, 2020; Oyinlola & Adedeji, 2019; Raheem et al, 2018) have attempted to explicate the relationship between human capital and inclusive growth in SSA. The central message from their empirical analyses is that human capital (quantity, quality, and investment) is crucial for growth inclusiveness in the region.…”

Factors Affecting the Degree of University Autonomy in Vietnam

“…HEIs belong to the state control or State supervising model. Irrespective of the governance model that the HE system belongs to, and Universities have evolved in various ways, the fundamental functions of universities would be eliminated, including preserving, developing, and disseminating knowledge in society (Adeniyi et al, 2021). Teaching, research, and public services are always the three primary functions of universities (Wan & Sirat, 2018;Marini & Yang, 2021).…”

Value Co-Creation Activities of Students on The Covid-19 Pandemic: Empirical Evidence from Economics Students in Vietnam

“…Students are expected to collaborate with universities to improve learning, teaching, and participation in decision-making at all university management levels (QAA, 2012). Emerging research shows that students are a vital and frequently underutilized resource in higher education (Adeniyi et al, 2020;Bisht & Pattanaik, 2021), and faculty and students also derive significant benefits from collaborative teaching and learning (Nygaard et al, 2013). Bovill et al (2016) and Lubicz-Nawrocka (2017) pointed out the institutional inadequacies when both lecturers and students want to create certain knowledge values during the process of knowledge transmission.…”