Microeconometrics Seminar: Every Tuesday
Time: 12:15 pm – 13:30 pm
Date: 17th of May 2022
Room : 3001

Ramaele MOSHOESHOE () – “Age at School Entry and Human Capital Development: Evidence from Lesotho”

Abstract: Children starting school at younger ages have more potential years of education before they age out of compulsory schooling. However, early-starters also progress through school as the youngest in their grade. A large literature has assessed the impact of these countervailing forces in upper-income countries, finding mixed results; yet there is scant evidence from lower-income countries. Using data from multiple national surveys in Lesotho, we assess the impact of entering school at younger ages on a range of human capital development outcomes. Initial benefits of early school enrollment dissipate as young-for-grade students fall behind in reading skills. As they progress through childhood, young-for-grade students are more likely to drop out of school, spend more hours on economic and household activities, and have substantially lower total years of schooling. In adulthood, they are less likely to have professional occupations, more likely to be married and have children as teenagers, more likely to become HIV-infected (men), and more likely to experience the death of a child.

Organizer:
Laurent LINNEMER (CREST)

Sponsors:
CREST