Access, Sorting, and Achievement: The Short-Run Effects of Free Primary Education in Kenya

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Lucas, Adrienne M.; Mbiti, Isaac M.
• 署名单位: University of Delaware; Southern Methodist University
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-APPLIED ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7782
• DOI: 10.1257/app.4.4.226
• 发表日期: 2012
• 页码: 226-253
• 关键词: universal primary-education; school choice; stratification; POLICY; flight; POOR

摘要

We examine the impact of the Kenyan Free Primary Education program on student participation, sorting, and achievement on the primary school exit examination. Exploiting variation in pre-program dropout rates between districts, we find that the program increased the number of students who completed primary school, spurred private school entry, and increased access for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. We argue that the program was welfare enhancing as it promoted educational access without substantially reducing the test scores of students who would have been in school in the absence of the program. (JEL H52, I21, I28, O15)