Does Cash for School Influence Young Women’s Behavior in the Longer Term? Evidence from Pakistan

Alam, Andaleeb ; Baez, Javier E. ; Del Carpio, Ximena V.

关键词: ACADEMIC YEAR;    ACADEMIC YEARS;    ACCESS TO SCHOOLS;    ADMINISTRATIVE DATA;    ADOLESCENT GIRLS;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-5669
RP-ID  :  WPS5669

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

The Punjab Female School StipendProgram, a female-targeted conditional cash transfer programin Pakistan, was implemented in response to gender gaps ineducation. An early evaluation of the program shows that theenrollment of eligible girls in middle school increased inthe short term by nearly 9 percentage points. This paperuses regression discontinuity and difference-in-differenceanalyses to show that five years into the programimplementation positive impacts do persist. Beneficiaryadolescent girls are more likely to progress through andcomplete middle school and work less. There is suggestiveevidence that participating girls delay their marriage andhave fewer births by the time they are 19 years old. Girlswho are exposed to the program later, and who are eligiblefor the benefits given in high school, increase their ratesof matriculating into and completing high school. Thepersistence of impacts can potentially translate into gainsin future productivity, consumption, inter-generationalhuman capital accumulation and desired fertility. Lastly,there is no evidence that the program has negative spillovereffects on educational outcomes of male siblings.