Working Paper: NBER ID: w22764
Authors: Minahil Asim; Thomas Dee
Abstract: The effective governance of local public services depends critically on the civic engagement of local citizens. However, recent efforts to promote effective citizen oversight of the public-sector services in developing countries have had mixed results. This study discusses and evaluates a uniquely designed, low-cost, scalable program designed to improve the governance and performance of primary and middle schools in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The School Council Mobilization Program (SCMP) used mobile-phone calls to provide sustained and targeted guidance to local school-council members on their responsibilities and authority. We examine the effects of the SCMP on school enrollment, student and teacher attendance, and school facilities using a “difference in difference in differences” (DDD) design based on the targeted implementation of the SCMP. We find that this initiative led to meaningful increases in primary-school enrollment, particularly for young girls (i.e., a 12.4 percent increase), as well as targeted improvements in teacher attendance and school facilities, most of which were sustained in the months after the program concluded.
Keywords: Civic Engagement; School Performance; Pakistan; Mobile Phones
JEL Codes: I21
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| School Council Mobilization Program (SCMP) (J45) | primary school enrollment (A21) |
| School Council Mobilization Program (SCMP) (J45) | enrollment of young girls (I24) |
| School Council Mobilization Program (SCMP) (J45) | student attendance (I21) |
| School Council Mobilization Program (SCMP) (J45) | teacher attendance (I21) |
| School Council Mobilization Program (SCMP) (J45) | functional facilities in schools (R53) |