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Missing in Action: Teacher and Health Worker Absence in Developing Countries

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Author Info

  • Nazmul Chaudhury
  • Jeffrey Hammer
  • Michael Kremer
  • Karthik Muralidharan
  • F. Halsey Rogers

Abstract

In this paper, we report results from surveys in which enumerators made unannounced visits to primary schools and health clinics in Bangladesh, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Peru and Uganda and recorded whether they found teachers and health workers in the facilities. Averaging across the countries, about 19 percent of teachers and 35 percent of health workers were absent. The survey focused on whether providers were present in their facilities, but since many providers who were at their facilities were not working, even these figures may present too favorable a picture. For example, in India, one-quarter of government primary school teachers were absent from school, but only about one-half of the teachers were actually teaching when enumerators arrived at the schools. We will provide background on education and health care systems in developing; analyze the high absence rates across sectors and countries; investigate the correlates, efficiency, and political economy of teacher and health worker absence; and consider implications for policy.

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File URL: http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/089533006776526058
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Bibliographic Info

Article provided by American Economic Association in its journal Journal of Economic Perspectives.

Volume (Year): 20 (2006)
Issue (Month): 1 (Winter)
Pages: 91-116

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Handle: RePEc:aea:jecper:v:20:y:2006:i:1:p:91-116

Note: DOI: 10.1257/089533006776526058
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  1. Abhijit Banerjee & Angus Deaton & Esther Duflo, 2003. "Wealth, health, and health services in rural Rajasthan," Working Papers 253, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Health and Wellbeing..
  2. Jishnu Das & Stefan Dercon & James Habyarimana & Pramila Krishnan, 2004. "Teacher Shocks and Student Learning: Evidence from Zambia," CSAE Working Paper Series 2004-26, Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford.
  3. Ronald G. Ehrenberg & Randy A. Ehrenberg & Daniel I. Rees & Eric L. Ehrenberg, 1991. "School District Leave Policies, Teacher Absenteeism, and Student Achievement," NBER Working Papers 2874, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  4. Deon Filmer & Jeffrey S. Hammer & Lant H. Pritchett, 2002. "Weak Links in the Chain II: A Prescription for Health Policy in Poor Countries," World Bank Research Observer, World Bank Group, vol. 17(1), pages 47-66.
  5. Nazmul Chaudhury & Jeffrey S. Hammer, 2004. "Ghost Doctors: Absenteeism in Rural Bangladeshi Health Facilities," World Bank Economic Review, World Bank Group, vol. 18(3), pages 423-441.
  6. King, Elizabeth M. & Orazem, Peter F. & Paterno, Elizabeth M., 2008. "Promotion with and without learning : effects on student enrollment and dropout behavior," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4722, The World Bank.
  7. repec:feb:natura:0017 is not listed on IDEAS
  8. Pritchett, Lant & Filmer,Deon, 1997. "What educational production functions really show : a positive theory of education spending," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1795, The World Bank.
  9. Filmer, Deon & Hammer, Jeffrey S & Pritchett, Lant H, 2000. "Weak Links in the Chain: A Diagnosis of Health Policy in Poor Countries," World Bank Research Observer, World Bank Group, vol. 15(2), pages 199-224, August.
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