Impact Evaluation of ADB Supported Interventions in Bangladesh’s Secondary Education Sector

Abstract

This approach paper presents the rationale, objectives, scope, and timeline for a study that will evaluate the impact of several interventions the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has supported in Bangladesh’s secondary education subsector. These interventions include: (i) the provision of stipends and tuition waivers to selected students, (ii) the construction of schools in underserviced areas, (iii) the construction of classrooms in overcrowded schools, and (iv) efforts to improve educational quality through management and examination reform and curriculum and capacity development. The study will be embedded in a mixed-methods framework. However, quasi-experimental methods will primarily be used to assess the impact of the stipend/tuition waiver and construction interventions, while in-depth qualitative research will be the main approach used to critically assess ADB’s contribution towards enhancing the quality of secondary education. The study’s final product is expected to provide ADB, the Government of Bangladesh (GoB), and other development partners with a holistic understanding of the effectiveness of the interventions the former has supported in Bangladesh’s secondary education subsector over the previous 2 decades.