Does homework fruitless on reading primary outcomes: Case of developing countries

This study delves into the influence of homework on reading literacy among primary school students in developing nations. Leveraging data from the 2016 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, we utilize ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and quantile regression to estimate education production functions for each country individually. This approach enables us to assess how coefficients on explanatory variables vary across the spectrum of test scores. Our analysis reveals that socioeconomic status, as indicated by access to learning resources, significantly shapes students' reading achievement. In addition, the frequency of homework assignments per week, as set by teachers, exhibits no noteworthy impact on reading performance in six developing countries and even yields adverse effects in Oman and Kuwait. The study also identifies positive effects of homework frequency and time spent on reading achievement in countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Additionally, dedicating 16-30 minutes or 31-60 minutes to homework is associated with notable enhancements in reading achievement across the majority of developing countries.