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The Effects Of Schooling Incentive Programs On Household Resource Allocation In Bangladesh, Mary Arends-Kuenning, Sajeda Amin

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This paper examines the impact of programs that provide incentives for school attendance in rural Bangladesh-a food-for-education program for poor primary-school children and a secondary-school scholarship scheme for girls. Detailed time-use data were available from a 1991-92 village study conducted prior to the programs’ implementation as well as for two points in time in 1995 and 1996 when the programs were in place. The time children spent in school increased dramatically, especially for adolescent girls. Families were able to take advantage of the school programs because of the short school days required and because of the compatibility of household work …