Human Capital Accumulation in Post Green Revolution Rural Pakistan: A Progress Report (The Distinguishedl Lecture)

Autor: Richard H. Sabot
Rok vydání: 1992
Předmět:
Zdroj: The Pakistan Development Review. 31:449-490
ISSN: 0030-9729
DOI: 10.30541/v31i4ipp.449-490
Popis: There are hugh gender gaps in school enrollments and in cognitive achievements in rural Pakistan. The findings in this study were that the gaps were due to gender differences in school supply. The gender gap in school achievement could have been reduced by half by eliminating the gender gap in primary school supply assuming appropriate treatment of preschool ability. Findings also showed that the gender gap in cognitive skills has increased over time regardless of the more rapid increase in rural schools for girls. Parents now are just as likely to send a girl child to school as a boy child. The gender gap in school supply has narrowed in recent years except for the age group 10-14 years. School supply can be increased by operating different shifts in boys schools or with coeducation which would reduce the need for large capital investments. Cognitive achievement was related to the quantity of rural schooling a child received. There were variations in school quality that were evident and affected girls cognitive achievement. High quality schools produced more skilled workers who have an advantage in income potential. Higher levels of educational attainment were related to higher earnings. The estimated return for increasing expenditures on primary schools to insure high quality and increased cognitive achievement was 11%. The rate of return was higher for higher quality schools than primary or middle schools of average quality. Findings were considered tentative and caveats were indicated. Data were obtained from surveys to a panel of over 800 rural households (over 7000 persons) from villages in Attock and Faisalabad districts of the Punjab; respondents were interviewed 4 times a year. The 10th round of the survey was in spring 1989. Background information was provided on gender differences in schooling and the school system. The models yielded 7 equations on gender differences in the determinants of schooling attainment conditioned on school supply and in the production of cognitive achievement. Cohorts in ages 20-24 and 30-44 were analyzed separately. Literacy and preschool reasoning ability tests were conducted to assess abilities. Family background cost of schooling school characteristics and school supply were other variables. Background information was given on the issue of quality and the conceptual framework for returns on quality improvement and quantity increases.
Databáze: OpenAIRE