A Policy Transfer Response to Education Outcomes & Information and Communication Technology Challenges in Liberia

ABSTRACTEffective policy development will be critical to address educational challenges within the Global South. To accelerate economic, political, and social goals, the Global South is under increasing pressure to mimic policy development from other countries. In 2016, the Liberian Ministry of Education leveraged policy transfer to address systemic primary education challenges. Originally known as Partnership Schools for Liberia (PSL) and later renamed the Liberian Education Advancement Program (LEAP), the education policy outsourced the management of primary schools through a public private partnership inclusive of eight organizations. As part of the pilot, 185 schools were randomly selected in the policy pilot; 93 operating under the new public private partnership and 92 remaining under government operations. However, the sample schools did not represent the country. Rather, LEAP schools were selected based on infrastructure standards, proximity to major roads, and cell phone capabilities. This research creates a new conceptual framework related to education borrowing, incorporating existing theories and new concepts into a single explanatory mixed-methods case study design. It aims to examine stakeholders in the education borrowing process, factors influencing the adoption of LEAP, and the process of establishing policy transfer. The research also explores whether differences exist in education access, the availability of information and communication technologies, and education quality between LEAP and non-LEAP schools. The quantitative component of the research includes secondary data analysis, through semi-structured interviews with 19 participants with direct knowledge and experience related to LEAP. The quantitative approach utilizes Pearson’s Chi-Square Test for Independence, Fisher’s Exact Test, and independent sample t-tests. The qualitative component of the research employs Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic framework to analyze the process components of policy transfer. The findings suggest improvements in some elements of education, support existing research on education borrowing, and notes persistent challenges in these areas and the cultivation of new obstacles due to LEAP. Through the addition of new conceptual and contextual research, the study contributes new knowledge to global development and intersecting disciplines regarding how countries like Liberia navigate the successes and challenges of education borrowing. Keywords: Global South, Liberia, policy transfer, education borrowing, and primary education