How Efficient Are Morocco's Primary Schools? Insights from TIMSS 2011 Data

What is it about?

This study explores how efficiently Moroccan primary schools use their resources to deliver educational outcomes. It focuses on the year 2011 and uses international data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), a global assessment that evaluates students’ knowledge in subjects like math and science. Rather than simply measuring student test scores, we look deeper into how different schools perform when we account for the resources they have, such as the number of teachers, classroom size, and school facilities. This approach allows us to see which schools are getting the most out of what they have — and which schools could do better with the same or even fewer resources. To do this, we use a method called Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), which compares schools to the best-performing ones in the same group. This helps identify which schools are “efficient” and which are not. We also use a tool called the Malmquist Index to track changes in efficiency over time. Our results show that while some Moroccan schools perform well with limited means, others struggle despite having better conditions. The findings suggest that simply increasing resources is not enough; how schools use those resources matters a lot. This research can help policymakers and education leaders identify best practices, improve school management, and target reforms more effectively. Overall, our goal is to help ensure that all children in Morocco — no matter where they go to school — have a fair chance at a quality education.

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Photo by javier trueba on Unsplash

Photo by javier trueba on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study is the first to apply an efficiency analysis framework — combining Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and the Malmquist Productivity Index — to evaluate the performance of Moroccan primary schools using internationally standardized data from TIMSS 2011. While most educational studies in Morocco focus on inputs (like funding or teacher numbers) or outputs (like test scores), our work uniquely assesses how effectively schools convert available resources into student learning outcomes. What makes this research particularly timely is the increasing national and international emphasis on education quality, not just access. As Morocco and other developing countries expand investment in basic education, policymakers need tools to ensure that resources are being used wisely and fairly across regions. Our approach moves beyond raw comparisons of performance and highlights schools that achieve strong results despite limited means — helping to identify replicable models of success. This research offers a data-driven foundation for smarter education reforms. By showing which schools are inefficient and why, we provide a clear direction for targeted support, better resource allocation, and capacity building. At a time when education systems are under pressure to do more with less, our findings offer a practical and evidence-based roadmap for improving outcomes without necessarily increasing spending.

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