Can financial inclusion improve children’s learning outcomes and late school enrolment in a developing country?

Title
Can financial inclusion improve children’s learning outcomes and late school enrolment in a developing country?
Publication Date
2022
Author(s)
Koomson, Isaac
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2929-4992
Email: ikoomso2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:ikoomso2
Afoakwah, Clifford
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Routledge
Place of publication
United Kingdom
DOI
10.1080/00036846.2022.2086683
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/62563
Abstract

This study uses comprehensive household data from Ghana to examine the link between financial inclusion and children's learning outcomes and late school enrolment. After resolving endogeneity, we find that a standard deviation increase in financial inclusion is associated with 0.7882 to0.9504 standard deviations increase in children's learning outcomes. It also reduces late school enrolment by 0.9493 standard deviation. Financial inclusion enhances learning and schooling outcomes more for girls and urban children. These findings are robust to different indicators of learning outcomes and alternative approaches to addressing endogeneity. Parents' ability to spend on extra classes and on books and other school-related supplies serve as possible channels through which financial inclusion affects children's educational outcomes.

Link
Citation
Applied Economics, 55(3), p. 237-254
ISSN
1466-4283
0003-6846
Start page
237
End page
254

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