Educational Quality and Student Achievement in Secondary Schools: A Systematic Review of Empirical Evidence from Africa and Asia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59645/abr.v18i1.748Keywords:
Educational quality, Student achievement, Secondary education, Teacher competence, Policy reformAbstract
This systematic review synthesised empirical evidence on the relationship between educational quality and student achievement in secondary schools across Africa and Asia using the PRISMA framework. Following a thorough search of Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, PubMed, PsycINFO, and JSTOR, 120 records were identified, 45 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 20 peer-reviewed studies published between 2005 and 2025 met the inclusion criteria. The reviewed studies represented varied contexts within Sub-Saharan Africa and South and East Asia and were dominated by quantitative and mixed-methods designs, with fewer qualitative investigations. The synthesis shows that student achievement is shaped by interconnected dimensions including parental encouragement, school environment and resources, teacher competence and retention, student motivation and discipline, gender dynamics, ICT integration, and policy initiatives. Supportive home environments and parental involvement strengthened learner motivation, while adequate facilities, effective leadership, and well-resourced schools supported academic performance. Teacher supervision, professional preparation, and retention were consistently associated with improved outcomes, whereas shortages of qualified teachers and limited professional development constrained learning. Gender disparities, uneven ICT readiness, and systemic underfunding remained evident across contexts. Thus, the review indicates that strengthening student achievement in secondary education requires coordinated reforms that address home, school, teacher, and policy dimensions simultaneously across Africa and Asia.
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