School-level resource allocation and education outcomes in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's public education system suffers from poor examination outcomes and wide disparities in academic achievement across schools. Using School Census data for the year 2016 and a multilevel modelling technique, we examine the link between school-level resources and student performance at the O-Levels. Controlling for several factors, we find that schools with larger shares of in-field and experienced teachers and qualified principals perform better at the O-Levels. Teacher commitment measured by teacher absenteeism also matters. Our findings hold several policy implications for improving the equity of school-level resource allocation and, subsequently, educational outcomes in Sri Lanka.