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Trade-off between child labour and schooling in Bangladesh: the role of parents' education

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posted on 2011-01-01, 00:00 authored by Salma AhmedSalma Ahmed, R Ray
Trade-off between child labour and schooling in Bangladesh: the role of parents' education

History

Journal

Monash University Department of Economics discussion papers

Volume

21/11

Pagination

1 - 40

Location

Melbourne

Open access

  • Yes

ISSN

1441-5429

Language

eng

Notes

The paper examines whether there is any trade-off between child labour hours and child schooling outcomes. By drawing on Bangladesh National Child Labour Survey data, we find that children’s work, even in limited amounts, does adversely affect child human capital. This is reflected in reduced school attendance and age-adjusted school attendance rates. We find that parents do not have identical preferences towards boys’ and girls’ schooling decisions. While both, educated mother and father shifts the trade-off towards girls’ schooling as opposed to market work, the differential impact of mother’s education on girls is significantly larger. These conclusions persist even after allowing for sample selection into child’s work. Our results intensify the call for better enforcement of compulsory schooling for children.

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2012, Monash University

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