Improving ESSLCE Outcomes in Public and Private Secondary Schools in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

The development of robust assessment systems is rapidly becoming a key priority for improving educational quality. These systems measure student performance and track progress across the academic lifecycle using various evaluation techniques, most notably secondary school leaving examinations. This policy brief is drawn from the study “Comparative Analysis of Ethiopian Secondary School Leaving Certificate Examination (ESSLCE) Results between Private and Public Schools in Addis Ababa.” Recent trends in the ESSLCE reveal a concerning decline in pass rates over the past three years, alongside noticeable performance disparities between public and private schools in the capital. To address this, the study examines the passing rates of these two sectors and analyzes the underlying determinants driving the variation. The findings reveal a statistically significant difference in ESSLCE success rates between private and public school students. This achievement gap is primarily driven by disparities in school infrastructure, teacher motivation, students' socio-economic backgrounds, and policy implementation gaps. Educators, students, and education officials all emphasize that targeted attention must be given to mitigating these factors to boost examination performance, particularly within the public sector. Consequently, this policy brief suggests addressing infrastructural limitations, enhancing teacher motivation through tailored incentive mechanisms, and bridging policy gaps to improve ESSLCE pass rates in public schools.