Global Journal of Human Social Science, E: Economics, Volume 22 Issue 4

High class equipment level 0.143*** 0.239*** 0.124** 0.105** (0.0510) (0.0456) (0.0486) (0.0416) Private school 0.0664 0.301*** 0.00297 0.300*** (0.0491) (0.0626) (0.0488) (0.0597) Urban school 0.566*** 0.725*** 0.558*** 0.734*** (0.0484) (0.0509) (0.0490) (0.0474) Constant 1.007 1.018 2.524*** 0.536 (0.829) (0.736) (0.750) (0.693) Sample 1,465 2,041 1,465 2,041 R-squared 0.347 0.449 0.378 0.512 Source: Authors, based on PASEC 2014 data. Standard deviations are in brackets. *** p<0.01, ** p<0.05, * p<0.1  In mathematics For pupils at the end of the primary school year, the analysis of the difference in language average between pupils in the French and English sub-systems reveals that observable factors increase the gap in school performance while unobservable factors reduce this gap. Thus, the share explained by observable factors is more than 100% (166.86%). If we go into the details of the decomposition, it emerges from the table that it is the variables specific to the characteristics linked to the family environment and to school conditions that are at the origin of this explained difference. For example, the low and high standard of living of the household, the fact that the teacher is male, the level of education and the low level of equipment in the classroom exacerbate the differences in school performance between the anglophone and francophone subsystems. On the other hand, the professional training of the teacher helps to reduce this difference. Looking at the unexplained share, it appears that all groups of variables influence the unexplained gap. Specifically, the fact that a pupil is a boy, pre- school attendance, low household standard of living, the teacher's professional training, the school’s home network, and the school’s location all contribute to the narrowing of the performance or achievement gap between pupils in the two subsystems in Cameroon.  In language In contrast to the academic performance gap that may exist between primary school leavers in mathematics, the language gap is larger between students in the anglophone and francophone subsystems. The results of the Oaxaca and Blinder decomposition show that more than 100% of the gap can be attributed to explained factors. While the unobservable part, due to discrimination, reduces this difference. In more detail, the age of the child, the low and high household standard of living, the level of education, the high level of classroom equipment and the location of the school increase the school achievement gap and vocational training reduces the school achievement gap. On the unexplained side, the results in the table show that gender, pre-school attendance, low household standard of living, having at least one literate parent, type of school and school location further widen the gap in school performance between the two groups. Table 3: Oaxaca and Blinder decomposition (1) (2) Variables Mathematics Language Francophone subsystem 0.0982*** 0.109*** (0.0235) (0.0243) Anglophone subsystem -0.0673*** -0.0758*** (0.0208) (0.0207) difference 0.166*** 0.185*** (0.0270) (0.0343) Difference explained 0.277*** 0.313*** 166.867% 169.189% (0.0345) (0.0355) Unexplained difference -0.111*** -0.128*** -66.867% -69.189% (0.0373) (0.0332) Sample 3506 3506 Source: Authors, based on PASEC 2014 data. Standard deviations in brackets. *** p<0.01, ** p<0.05, * p<0.1. © 2022 Global Journals Volume XXII Issue IV Version I 49 ( ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2022 E Does the Academic Performance of the Francophone Education Subsystem Exceed that of the Anglophone Education Subsystem at Primary Level? Evidence from Cameroon