Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP16568
Authors: Olivier Marie; Ahmed Elsayed
Abstract: Exploiting a unique policy reform in Egypt that reduced the number of years of compulsory schooling, we show that it unexpectedly increased education attainment. This impact is almost entirely driven by girls from more disadvantaged households staying in school longer. Treated women later experienced important positive improvements in labor market opportunity and marriage quality, as measured by bride price received and household bargaining power. We reject changes in school quality as a driving mechanism and attribute the increased investment in girl’s human capitcal to adjustments by credit-constrained families when school costs dropped combined with strongly non-linear returns to female education.
Keywords: school costs; education investment; gender bias; female labor market; marriage; bride price; Egypt
JEL Codes: I21; I25; J24; O55
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Reduction in compulsory schooling years (I21) | Increase in the probability of completing compulsory education (I21) |
| Reduction in compulsory schooling years (I21) | Increase in the probability of finishing secondary education (I21) |
| Reduction in compulsory schooling years (I21) | Improved labor market outcomes for women (J79) |
| Reduction in compulsory schooling years (I21) | Improved marriage quality (J12) |
| Reduction in compulsory schooling years (I21) | Enhanced investment decisions by credit-constrained families (G59) |
| Girls from disadvantaged households (I24) | Increase in the probability of completing compulsory education (I21) |
| Girls from poorer families (I24) | Increase in the probability of finishing secondary education (I21) |