Primary School Quality Research Articles

Sustainable School Lunches: A Comparative Analysis of Lunch Quality in Primary Schools in Warsaw and Zagreb

Sustainable School Lunches: A Comparative Analysis of Lunch Quality in Primary Schools in Warsaw and Zagreb

Rural Education Development and Reform: Implementation of Quality Education and Innovation in the Education System

In rural areas, the implementation of quality education in primary schools and the innovation of the educational system in poverty-stricken regions have always been significant issues in educational reform. This paper aims to explore how comprehensive quality education and educational system innovation can improve the quality of rural education, promote the all-round development of students, and cultivate high-quality educational talents. By analyzing the current state of primary school quality education in rural areas and the education system in poverty-stricken regions, this paper proposes corresponding implementation strategies and policy suggestions, aiming to provide theoretical support and practical references for educational equity and quality improvement.

Survey of Academic Service Quality in Primary Schools

Quality academic services provide a conducive and supportive learning environment for all education customers at every level of education, and primary schools are no exception. However, the facts in the field show that there are still complaints from teachers, students, and parents regarding academic services in elementary schools. This study aims to analyze the level of academic service quality in elementary schools in Sumedang Regency, focusing on the five main dimensions of reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibles. This research is a quantitative study using a survey method involving 50 elementary school teachers. The results showed that the quality of academic services in elementary schools in Sumedang Regency fulfills five dimensions with an average of high quality and has been able to meet the expectations and needs of teachers, resulting in satisfaction and good perceptions in the implementation of effective and efficient academic services even though the dimensions of reliability, empathy, and tangibles still need improvement. This research is expected to contribute to schools’ supporting decision-making and determining solutions in more specific areas to realize quality academic services.

Quality Management Process of Religious-Based Primary School Education

This research aims to reveal in-depth and give meaning to the planning, control, and improvement of religion-based elementary school education quality. This research method uses a qualitative approach through a multicase study plan with a constant comparative method. The research locations were SD Onekore 2 Santa Ursula Ende, SDK Santo Antonius Ende 2, and MIN Ende. The informants in this research were the Principal and Teachers. Data collection techniques use in-depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation studies. A structured set of questions designed to elicit information from stakeholders such as teachers, administrators, parents, and students about their perceptions, experiences, and suggestions regarding quality management in primary education with a religious foundation. The research results show that the Religious Primary School Quality Management Process has a strong commitment, which the founders inherited, managers, and previous education staff, and is preserved, continued, and strengthened by the management and education staff in the future. The meaning of quality by the management and educational staff of religious-based elementary schools is more holistic; the students' personalities are intact, and the quality management of religious-based elementary schools consists of school quality planning, quality control, and quality improvement. Through the quality management process of religious-based elementary schools, the school has a strong commitment, inherited by the founder, managers, and previous education staff, and preserved, continued, and strengthened by managers and education personnel.

Gene-environment interaction analysis of school quality and educational inequality

We study to what extent schools increase or decrease environmental and genetic influences on educational performance. Building on behavioral genetics literature on gene-environment interactions and sociological literature on the compensating and amplifying effects of schools on inequality, we investigate whether the role of genes and the shared environment is larger or smaller in higher-quality school environments. We apply twin models to Dutch administrative data on the educational performance of 18,384 same-sex and 11,050 opposite-sex twin pairs, enriched with data on the quality of primary schools. Our results show that school quality does not moderate genetic and shared-environmental influences on educational performance once the moderation by SES is considered. We find a gene-environment interplay for school SES: genetic variance decreases with increasing school SES. This school SES effect partly reflects parental SES influences. Yet, parental SES does not account for all the school SES moderation, suggesting that school-based processes play a role too.

IDF23-0143 Managing Type 1 Diabetes in Saudi Primary School Quality Improvement and Advocacy Project

IDF23-0143 Managing Type 1 Diabetes in Saudi Primary School Quality Improvement and Advocacy Project

Examining the Effect of Privatized Primary Schools on the Quality of Education under Punjab Education Foundation (PEF)

The primary purpose of the present research work was to analyze the effects of privatization on the quality of primary schools in Punjab working under the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) and to find out the factors which positively or negatively impact on quality of education. The study was conducted under the positivism paradigm with the quantitative methodology. Two self-developed 5-point Likert scale questionnaires were used to collect data. The cross-sectional survey design was adopted to collect data from the participants. A multistage sampling technique was used to draw data from 746 teachers. The perception of teachers in those privatized schools helped to evaluate and measure the impacts and effects of the PEF schools on the quality of education. Data was analyzed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 21. The result indicates a small correlation (r=.435) between privatization and quality of education. The result showed a significant correlation (r=.231) between privatization and quality of education. It was discovered that public schools lack the infrastructure, resources, and perceived quality that PEF-funded institutions do. A significant correlation was found between student outcomes and the quality of PEF schools. A conducive physical environment in classrooms satisfies the psychological and social well-being of students and up-to-date teaching-learning methodologies help to enhance the quality of education in PEF schools.

The effect of post-COVID-19 ventilation measures on indoor air quality in primary schools.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has made people acutely aware of the importance of indoor air quality (IAQ) and building ventilation systems, particularly in densely occupied places like offices and schools. As a result, governments and other public entities are increasingly investing in the installation, maintenance, and upgrades of ventilation systems in public buildings. However, little is known about the effect of building ventilation systems on actual IAQ and its impact on occupant behavior. This paper exploits exogenous closing and opening events of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with policy measures focusing on maximizing ventilation rates inside classrooms, to assess the effectiveness of building ventilation systems in primary schools. We use a unique sensor network implemented before the COVID-19 pandemic, consisting of measurement devices installed in 252 classrooms across 27 Dutch primary schools, continuously monitoring IAQ indicators such as CO2 levels and fine particle concentrations. Using high-frequency data from 2018 to 2022 school years, we compare the IAQ differences between natural and mechanical ventilation through a fixed-effect identification strategy. Our results show that mechanically ventilated classrooms perform better with respect to CO2 and fine particle levels. However, the post-COVID-19 ventilation measures implemented after school reopening had stronger effects on naturally ventilated (NV) classrooms, suggesting behavioral changes at the classroom level. We also investigate the longer term effects of these post-COVID-19 ventilation measures and show some evidence of decay in effectiveness, as well as a strong seasonal effect, particularly in NV classrooms, which seems the result of a trade-off between ventilation and thermal comfort.

Feasibility first: Expanding access before fixing learning

The first SDG4 target is to both expand access to universal secondary school and to ensure that all children achieve minimum learning outcomes in primary school. To the extent that action must be prioritized, this article argues that achieving universal secondary education is both more feasible at scale and has clearer benefits than improving learning outcomes in primary schools in developing countries. Removing barriers to access such as fees and exam requirements has been demonstrated to have consistent impacts at scale, even in contexts of weak state capacity. By contrast, efforts to improve school quality have been much less consistent. Wage gains from secondary schooling have been demonstrated repeatedly, even in contexts of low quality education. Wage gains from improving primary school quality have not. Governments should thus focus on reforms that reliably expand access, rather than complex interventions to improve learning that often fail at scale.

Two Pathways into Number Work for Primary Teachers: A Counting Pathway and a Measurement Pathway

Teacher quality in primary schools in South Africa is a serious concern, and how best to prepare teachers in initial teacher education—with regard to mathematics—remains an open and vexing question. There is a confluence of challenges facing the mathematics education community in South Africa: poor conceptual understanding of mathematics amongst teachers; poor attainment in Primary Teacher Education mathematics tests at both first and fourth year levels; and few initial teacher education programmes having evidence of improving knowledge for teaching mathematics. In addition, few lecturers in initial teacher education make explicit the theoretical tenets informing their course design for mathematics. In response to the latter challenge, this paper makes explicit the design choices made in the Emergent Number Sense first year mathematics module in Bachelor of Education degrees, used across six universities in South Africa. It then theorises the choice to commence the B.Ed mathematics programmes with two pathways into number knowledge: (1) a counting pathway, making use of discrete objects or events which can be quantified by counting in ones; and (2) a measurement pathway, making use of continuous extents which can be quantified by introducing a unit of measurement. Each has a distinct metaphor, strategy for the reification of the 10 and supporting representation. This offers the lecturers using the course in their own design trials, and initial teacher educators beyond the Maths4Primary Teachers collective, a conceptual framework for this design choice, which can now be critiqued and further improved.

The impact of the Sindh Education Sector Reform Project(SESRP) on educational quality in Primary schools within the Hyderabad Region Pakistan

The Sindh Education Sector Reform Project (SESRP) was a Sindh government project in Pakistan that refers to expand the quality of education in primary schools within the Hyderabad region. For the first time, the Sindh government has taken steps to assess how school leadership affects basic education quality. They also intend to examine all other aspects that affect primary school education quality and suggest appropriate steps to improve primary education quality. This study aims to investigate and expand our basic knowledge of (SESRP), leadership, and educational quality. by adding to the body of knowledge During the collection of a representative sample, the researchers used purposeful and judgmental sampling approaches. The study used thematic analysis to analyse material that was passed from one person to another. Content analysis and documentary analysis were used to conduct face-to-face interviews. The findings revealed that school leaders (headmasters) have worked extremely hard to provide quality education in primary schools throughout the Hyderabad Region, despite numerous challenges. If this project is not fully implemented, education will suffer, and the efforts of Headmasters will be wasted. On top of the domino effect, the recommendation is based on a literature review.

Assessment of Ambient Air Quality in Primary Schools in Various Areas of Lahore

I analyzed ambient air quality of 54 primary schools of both government and private sectors in 9 different towns of Lahore. The pollutants Particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10), Carbon monoxide (CO), Carbon dioxide (CO2), Nitric oxide (NO), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Nitrous Oxide (NOx), Sulphur dioxide (SO2), Hydrogen sulphide (H2S), Ground level Ozone (O3 ) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) were measured. After analysis the level of CO2, O3, and CO is lower in both schools. The concenteration of NO, SO2 and NO2 is higher in both schools as compared to standard. The concenteration of H2S is higher in both schools as compared to reference value. The government schools has more concentration than private schools. The concenteration of VOC’s is low in both schools as compared to standard value. Both schools have almost the same concentration. The concenteration of PM10 is so much higher in both schools as compared to reference value. The government schools has more concentration than private schools. The concenteration of PM2.5 is so much higher in both schools as compared to standard value. The government schools has more concentration than private schools.

Antecedents of Primary School Quality: The Case of Remote Areas Schools in Indonesia

The policy of developing remote area schools’ quality in Indonesia is getting stronger. The government has set minimum service standards as a reference for schools’ development quality while remaining based on local, national, global, and 21st-century values. This study revealed efforts to improve the 21st-century school’s quality through the contribution of superior leadership, school climate, total quality management implementation, and the school principal’s performance approached quantitatively and analyzed descriptively using Structural Equation Modeling. Participants involved in the study were 147 remote area principals and teachers in two provinces in Indonesia. Results show that (1) school climate had the most dominant contribution to school quality and (2) there was a significant simultaneous effect among superior leadership, school climate, total quality management implementation, and the school principal’s performance on the school quality. Implications of the study’s findings from a theoretical and practical lens as well as recommendations for future studies are also discussed.

Preservice Training Strategies and Guarantee Mechanisms for Primary and Secondary School Teachers in the Development of Smart Cities by the Internet of Things

It aims to perfect the preservice training system and improve the teaching quality of primary schools. The research methods are questionnaire survey and interview, and 154 teachers from 16 primary schools under the background of smart city development are used as the research objects. Questionnaires are distributed to them, and the Internet of Things (IoT) technology is used to analyze the adaptation law of primary school teachers’ preservice training and to conduct in-depth research on teacher education and training strategies according to the relevant curriculum system. The results manifest that the IoT technology can effectively process the questionnaire data. From the perspective of the smart city, more than 70% of art teachers and physical education (PE) teachers know nothing about their professional level, and nearly 40% of music teachers know little about their professional level of teachers. In addition, more than 50% of the teachers surveyed do not have a clear understanding of their own professional standards, teacher training standards, primary school training strategies, and guarantee mechanisms of the teaching effect. It means that teachers in the progress of smart cities should strengthen the training of professional level and education policy during preservice training. After the evaluation and training system is established according to the ratio of “25.4% of primary school students’ growth knowledge +42.7% of professional knowledge +31.9% of teacher education curriculum knowledge”, students’ learning enthusiasm increased by 23%, and their academic performance increased by 15%. This indicates that the training system can ensure the good learning effect of students. Therefore, the research on preservice training strategies and guarantee mechanisms for primary and secondary school teachers in smart cities by the IoT provides a certain direction for subsequent teacher training.

Assessment of indoor and outdoor air quality in primary schools of Cyprus during the COVID–19 pandemic measures in May–July 2021

Combined pollutant effects from indoor and outdoor sources on children's health, while being at school have not been holistically tackled. The aim of the School Temperature and Environmental Pollutants Study (STEPS) was to perform a school population representative assessment of indoor air quality (IAQ) in primary schools of densely and intermediate populated areas of Cyprus (n = 42). The study took place during May–July 2021 when a school-specific COVID-19 protocol was in place. Questionnaire-based characteristics of schools/classrooms were collected along with 24/48-h long IAQ monitoring of air temperature, relative humidity (RH), particulate matter (PM), carbon dioxide (CO2) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), using low-cost sensors. Mixed effect models assessed the IAQ determinants during school hours. Indoor PM, temperature, RH and VOCs increased with progressing school periods in the day, while indoor CO2 decreased. Indoor RH and CO2 were negatively associated with % open windows, while indoor PM2.5 was positively associated. Most of school time (85%), indoor air temperature exceeded the recommended upper limit (27 °C), while a third of indoor PM2.5 (24-h) measurements exceeded 15 μg/m3. The interplay of clean indoor air with adequate ventilation and adaptation to heat stress in schools is important and its comprehensive characterization requires holistic methodological approaches and tools.

Energy retrofit and passive cooling: overheating and air quality in primary schools

While building stock modelling has been used previously to investigate the space heating demand implications of national energy efficiency retrofitting, there are also implications for indoor overheating and air quality, particularly in schools, with highly intermittent occupancy patterns. This paper assesses indoor overheating risk and air quality within an English classroom stock model containing 111 archetypes, based on the analysis of the nationwide Property Data Survey Programme (PDSP) containing 9629 primary school buildings in England. Metrics for indoor temperatures, heating demand and concentrations of three contaminants (CO₂, NO₂, PM_2.5) were estimated in naturally ventilated classrooms, while exploring future climate projections, retrofit and overheating mitigation scenarios to analyse school stock resilience. Classrooms with a south-east orientation experience around four to six times the overheating-hours compared with those with a northern orientation. Post-1976 archetypes are most susceptible to overheating, indicative of the conflict between better insulated and airtight classrooms and overheating prevention. A range of retrofit and passive cooling measures can mitigate against overheating alone, although mechanically driven cooling and filtration may be required towards the 2080s. While no single measure predicted universally positive effects for building performance, night ventilation and overhangs were found to be particularly effective passive overheating mitigation methods across the school stock. <em><strong>Policy relevance</strong></em> With around 30% of their waking hours spent in classrooms, English schoolchildren experience greater vulnerability to higher indoor temperatures and air pollutants than adults due to limited thermoregulation and immunity, with additional impacts on cognitive performance. An increased risk of overheating (due to a warming climate) necessitates the development of future overheating mitigation policies and strategies, which could directly impact separate retrofit strategies required for energy demand reduction. Airflow network modelling has demonstrated how such measures could contribute to school sector carbon emissions. While the granularity of national datasets represents a hurdle to predictive modelling, the orientations, geographical regions and construction eras most vulnerable to overheating risk have been identified. Building stock-level modelling could thus be used to identify sectors of the stock most vulnerable to overheating and poor air quality, leading to strategies with more targeted solutions, including the use of alternative cooling strategies to air-conditioning.

Indoor air pollution effects on pediatric asthma are submicron aerosol particle-dependent.

The school environment is crucial for the child's health and well-being. On the other hand, the data about the role of school's aerosol pollution on the etiology of chronic non-communicable diseases remain scarce. This study aims to evaluate the level of indoor aerosol pollution in primary schools and its relation to the incidence of doctor's diagnosed asthma among younger school-age children. The cross-sectional study was carried out in 11 primary schools of Vilnius during 1year of education from autumn 2017 to spring 2018. Particle number (PNC) and mass (PMC) concentrations in the size range of 0.3-10µm were measured using an Optical Particle Sizer (OPS, TSI model 3330). The annual incidence of doctor's diagnosed asthma in each school was calculated retrospectively from the data of medical records. The total number of 6-11years old children who participated in the study was 3638. The incidence of asthma per school ranged from 1.8 to 6.0%. Mean indoor air pollution based on measurements in classrooms during the lessons was calculated for each school. Levels of PNC and PMC in schools ranged between 33.0 and 168.0 particles/cm3 and 1.7-6.8µg/m3, respectively. There was a statistically significant correlation between the incidence of asthma and PNC as well as asthma and PMC in the particle size range of 0.3-1µm (r = 0.66, p = 0.028) and (r = 0.71, p = 0.017) respectively. No significant correlation was found between asthma incidence and indoor air pollution in the particle size range of 0.3-2.5 and 0.3-10µm. Conclusion: We concluded that the number and mass concentrations of indoor air aerosol pollution in primary schools in the particle size range of 0.3-1µm are primarily associated with the incidence of doctor's diagnosed asthma among younger school-age children. What is Known: •Both indoor and outdoor aerosol pollution is associated with bronchial asthma in children. What is New: •The incidence of bronchial asthma among younger school age children is related to indoor air quality in primary schools. • Aerosol pollutants in the size range of 0.3-1 µm in contrast to larger size range particles can play major role in the etiology of bronchial asthma in children.

Improving the Quality of Learning in Primary Schools

The purpose of this study is to identify school principals improves the quality of primary schools. The study was conducted at SD Negeri 1 Banyuasin III. The research was qualitative. The subject of the research is teachers in SD Negeri 1 Banyuasin III. Data were collected by interviews and analyzed using triangulation. The result showed that not all teachers can perform the task in full because obstacles covid 19, the solution applied is maximizing available resources.

Environmental quality in primary schools and related health effects in children. An overview of assessments conducted in the Northern Portugal

Since children are far more vulnerable than adults to the effects of air pollution and spend about a third of their day in school, strict control of indoor environments in educational buildings is paramount to properly identify, manage and mitigate putative environmental risks for children. In this context, this work aimed to provide a holistic view on the outcomes obtained from the national ARIA project, which was focused on broadening the knowledge on the effects on children’s health of the exposure to schools’ indoor air. In particular, this work performed a comprehensive investigation of the indoor air quality (IAQ) in 20 public primary schools located in Porto (Northern Region, Portugal). This paper presents the results of the investigation along with the recently published main outcomes of ARIA on (1) the characteristics of the environment surrounding the surveyed buildings, and (2) the school’s environment-related health effects in school-age children from the studied classrooms. The investigation consisted in an extensive assessment plan conducted in 71 classrooms to assess temperature, relative humidity, carbon monoxide and dioxide, particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10, and ultrafine particles), nitrogen dioxide, ozone, volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, airborne fungi, bacteria and endotoxins, and investigate their respective sources, during the cold seasons of 2014–2015. A series of studies was also launched to investigate school environment-related health detriments in 916 children. The results showed that comfort and ventilation issues and/or indoor pollutant levels that exceeded recommended limits were found in a substantial number of the classrooms surveyed. The high density of occupants, deficient ventilation, soil characteristics, presence of indoor pollution sources (e.g. classroom materials and consumer products) and outdoor pollution were some of the factors that seemed to explain the high air stuffiness and/or indoor pollution load identified in classrooms. In fact, some of indoor pollutants detected, even at low exposure levels, were associated with the development of respiratory symptoms in school-age children. Moreover, results from this work have also shown that the characteristics of the environment surrounding the schools, namely the presence of green spaces and species richness, can be major determinants of respiratory health among school-age children. Overall, the body of evidence generated from the ARIA project can support new evidence-based perspectives for promotion of health in educational buildings.

Overheating and indoor air quality in primary schools in the UK

It is estimated that school buildings in the UK are responsible for up to 15% of the total energy consumption of public and commercial buildings.Indoor thermal comfort and air quality in school classrooms are of global concern due to their significant effects on pupil health, academic performance and productivity.Providing good indoor air quality and thermal comfort in school buildings can be difficult, with global warming’s consequences exacerbating the situation. Recent studies have demonstrated that many new school buildings are failing to meet minimum comfort standards, leading to low productivity and need for energy-hungry air conditioning devices. In this work, the authors conducted field studies to assess the indoor air quality and overheating levels in eight recently built classrooms in two new low-carbon primary schools during heating and non-heating seasons. Monitored variables included globe temperatures, air temperatures, surface temperatures, carbon dioxide (CO2), and particles matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5), airstream velocity and relative humidity. The analyses indicated that most of these classrooms had experienced overheating for more than 40% of school hours, as well as revealing that CO2 concentration levels were above the maximum threshold of 1000 ppm for more than 60% of school hours in heating and non-heating seasons, and that PM2.5 reached levels higher than 20 μg/m3 during the heating season and 10 μg/m3 during the non-heating season, suggesting annual individual exposure higher than recommended health guidelines.