Impacts of violent extremism on educational content

Heather Congdon Fors (), Ann-Sofie Isaksson (), Annika Lindskog () and Mohammad Sepahvand ()
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Heather Congdon Fors: Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University, Postal: P.O. Box 640, SE 40530 GÖTEBORG, Sweden, http://www.economics.gu.se
Ann-Sofie Isaksson: The Institute for Futures Studies
Annika Lindskog: Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University, Postal: P.O. Box 640, SE 40530 GÖTEBORG, Sweden, http://www.economics.gu.se
Mohammad Sepahvand: Lund University

No 862, Working Papers in Economics from University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics

Abstract: Abstract This paper examines whether and how Islamist violence affects educational content in secondary schools in Burkina Faso. We combine geocoded conflict-event data with nationwide school census data containing detailed information on teachers’ subject-specific teaching hours and mobility across schools. Using a staggered difference-in-differences design, we estimate the dynamic effects of violence on school availability and instructional time. We find no change in total hours of core subjects following local conflict, but evidence of increased Arabic instruction. We also document effects on teacher retention. Following local episodes of Islamist violence, teachers become more likely to move to schools in other municipalities, with the strongest mobility responses observed among those teaching French and mathematics. These findings suggest that violent extremism can reshape educational content even without formal curriculum reform, through changes in school availability, the allocation of instructional time, and the composition of the teaching workforce.

Keywords: Conflict; violence; education; schooling; Sub-Saharan Africa; Sahel; Burkina Faso (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D74 I20 I25 O12 O55 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 36 pages
Date: 2026-03
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