Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP7890
Authors: Florence Kondylis; Marco Manacorda
Abstract: Is improved school accessibility an effective policy tool for reducing child labor in developing countries? We address this question using micro data from rural Tanzania and a regression strategy that attempts to control for non-random location of households around schools as well as classical and nonclassical measurement error in self-reported distance to school. Consistent with a simple model of childlabor supply, but contrary to what appears to be a widespread perception, our analysis shows that school proximity leads to a rise in school attendance but no fall in child labor.
Keywords: Child Labor; Distance to School; School Enrollment
JEL Codes: J22; J82; O12; O55
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| increased school proximity (I24) | rise in school attendance (I21) |
| increased school proximity (I24) | child labor (J82) |
| improved school accessibility (I24) | school attendance (I21) |
| improved school accessibility (I24) | likelihood of engaging in work among children already in school (I21) |