Field Study in Washington, D.C. (Bernard Loleka YUNGU)
In March 2015, I joined a two week field study in Washington DC., under the leadership of Prof. Keiichi Ogawa. The duration of the field study was from 8th to...
It was an honor to do an online internship under the guidance of Dr. Bernard Yungu Loleka, an Education Economist at the World Bank. This internship duration spanned from February 5th to March 8th, 2024, encompassing 25 working days.
The first task of the internship was to explore and acquaint myself with the Service Delivery Indicators (SDI) surveys, which are poised to revolutionize how the World Bank assesses the quality of social sector services, such as education and health care. Despite facing challenges, such as my background in the construction industry and my Master’s degree in economics with a focus on international trade, delving into education-related issues and crafting policies has been a rewarding experience. Moreover, this assignment has provided ample learning opportunities. My exposure to SDI assisted me in realizing that a significant amount of effort, knowledge, and input is utilized in shaping learning outcomes worldwide.
Subsequently, the internship aimed to familiarize me with the data collection instruments, such as questionnaires, and survey techniques, that are utilized during surveys in lower secondary schools in the Republic of Congo. This involved reviewing numerous college databases corresponding to various questionnaire modules.
One of the most significant learning experiences occurred when I embarked on analyzing data from questionnaire surveys using STATA for the first time. Additionally, familiarizing myself with previous reports, STATA do-files, and translating French documents posed further challenges. Following the analysis, I summarized the findings and shared recommendations for policymakers to consider as they develop new policies aimed at addressing the issues.
Through this internship, I gained insight into how SDI education surveys correlate resources with outcomes and contribute to shifting the policy discourse toward quality and outcomes. Emphasizing provider effort, knowledge, and inputs, these surveys also bolster the capacity of local organizations for policy analysis and research.
Lastly, I express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Bernard Yungu Loleka for his invaluable insights and guidance throughout this internship. Furthermore, I would like to express my appreciation to Ogawa sensei for providing invaluable support and facilitating invaluable learning experiences.
Authored by Sonexay Chanthasak (Exchanged Student)
