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The effect of African leaders' foreign education/training on the completion of primary education in their countries

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Listed:
  • Donal Ajoumessi Houmpe

    (University of Dschang)

  • Ngouhouo Ibrahim

    (University of Dschang)

Abstract

The quest for the determinants of education in Africa has paid little attention to the role of political leaders; many of whom once received foreign scholarships. This article aims to examine the effect they have on education. We assume that foreign training encompasses factors guiding the choice of economic policies. The results of the estimation using fixed effect, random effect, generalized least square and Driscoll-Kraay methods on a sample of 219 leaders from 1975 to 2015 reveal that western and other African countries educated leaders negatively affect primary completion; the result is robust in autocracies. Studying abroad deprives leaders from their home country realities and orients them towards foreign policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Donal Ajoumessi Houmpe & Ngouhouo Ibrahim, 2020. "The effect of African leaders' foreign education/training on the completion of primary education in their countries," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 40(4), pages 3241-3255.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-20-00921
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    Cited by:

    1. Ajoumessi Houmpe Donal, 2021. "CO2 emission in Africa: national leader's professional background effect," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 41(3), pages 1501-1524.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    primary completion; political leaders; foreign trained/educated; fixe; random effect; generalized least squared; Driscoll-Kraay;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development

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