Class Size and Primary School Learners’ Achievement in Ghana: Does it Matter More for Specific Sizes, Subjects, and Regions?

Abstract

Class size is a widely studied school-level variable associated with learner achievement, attention, instructional quality, and classroom management. Despite extensive international research, limited attention has been paid to how class size effects vary by specific class-size thresholds, subjects, and geographic regions within sub-Saharan African countries. Using nationally representative data from Ghana's National Standardized Test (NaCCA, 2021), this study examines the relationship between class size and primary school learners' achievement in Ghanaian primary schools. The analysis investigates whether class size effects are consistent across different size thresholds, subjects (literacy and numeracy), and regional contexts. Findings indicate that class size effects are neither uniform nor linear, with certain size thresholds and regional configurations showing stronger associations with achievement than others. The implications for educational policy and resource allocation in Ghana and similar low- and middle-income country contexts are discussed.