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Is emigration of workers contributing to better schooling outcomes in Nepal?

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  • Gaurav Datt
  • Liang Choon Wang
  • Samia Badji

Abstract

This paper presents evidence on how emigration for work affects schooling outcomes for primary and secondary school‐age children in Nepal. Using an instrumental variable strategy exploiting past migration network, we show that the identified effects critically depend on how schooling outcomes are measured. While conventional measures of school attendance indicate no impact, our new set of schooling status and schooling gap measures reveals significant impacts. Schooling status measures reveal favorable impacts for girls, and for emigration to India. Schooling gap measures reveal favorable effects of all emigration on schooling outcomes for girls and of emigration to other countries for boys.

Suggested Citation

  • Gaurav Datt & Liang Choon Wang & Samia Badji, 2020. "Is emigration of workers contributing to better schooling outcomes in Nepal?," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(4), pages 1046-1075, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:reviec:v:28:y:2020:i:4:p:1046-1075
    DOI: 10.1111/roie.12481
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