Why Programs Fail: Lessons for Improving Public Service Quality from a Mixed-Methods Evaluation of an Unsuccessful...

Area of Science:

• Education policy
• International development
• Teacher training effectiveness

Background:

• Large-scale government initiatives are common for improving education quality.
• Teacher professional development is a key lever for enhancing student outcomes.
• Evaluating the impact of such programs is crucial for evidence-based policymaking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To rigorously evaluate the impact of an at-scale government training program for secondary teachers in Nepal on student learning.
• To identify specific weaknesses and contributing factors to the program's effectiveness or lack thereof.
• To inform future policy design and implementation for teacher professional development.

Main Methods:

• The study employed rigorous methods to assess the impact of the training program.
• It documented multiple areas of weakness, including training uptake and management.
• Analysis included teacher subject knowledge, adoption of new practices, and student learning outcomes.

Main Results:

• The government training program had little to no discernible impact on student learning outcomes.
• Five key areas of weakness were identified, hindering program success.
• Factors such as trainer/teacher constraints and policy-design mismatches limited program effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• The findings underscore the limited impact of the evaluated teacher training program on student learning.
• Multiple systemic weaknesses, beyond simple accountability, impeded program success.
• A broader understanding of constraints and policy alignment is needed for effective public service improvement in education.