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Armed Conflict and Schooling in Rwanda: Digging Deeper

Author

Listed:
  • Guariso Andrea

    (Trinity College Dublin, Department of Economics, Arts Building, Dublin 2, Ireland, Phone: +35318961325, Fax: +35316772503)

  • Verpoorten Marijke

    (IOB Institute for Development Policy and Management, University of Antwerp (UA), Antwerp, Belgium)

Abstract

We study how armed violence affected educational outcomes in Rwanda during the nineties, relying on two waves of population census data and on a difference-in-differences identification strategy. Results indicate that the violence caused a drop of about 1 year of education for the individuals exposed to the violence at schooling age. The drop was slightly larger for girls than for boys. While increased dropouts and school delays explain the drop in primary schooling, secondary schooling was mainly affected by a drop in enrolments. Finally, in a within-country analysis, we find no robust link between subnational variations in the drop in schooling and the intensity of the 1994 genocide – the most intense conflict event that took place in the country over the studied period. We present possible explanations for the observed patterns and provide related policy implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Guariso Andrea & Verpoorten Marijke, 2019. "Armed Conflict and Schooling in Rwanda: Digging Deeper," Peace Economics, Peace Science, and Public Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 25(1), pages 1-40, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:pepspp:v:25:y:2019:i:1:p:40:n:2
    DOI: 10.1515/peps-2018-0033
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    1. repec:cam:camjip:2426 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons & Marty, Ana H., 2021. "Student perceptions of school safety and student learning outcomes in a context of protracted conflict," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    3. Utsumi, Yuji, 2022. "Armed conflict, education access, and community resilience: Evidence from the Afghanistan NRVA Survey 2005 and 2007," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    4. Marijke Verpoorten, 2014. "Growth, poverty and inequality in Rwanda: a broad perspective," Working Papers of LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance 490896, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance.
    5. Bundervoet, Tom & Fransen, Sonja, 2018. "The educational impact of shocks in utero: Evidence from Rwanda," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 88-101.
    6. Oleg Badunenko & Daniel Henderson & Romain Houssa, 2014. "Significant drivers of growth in Africa," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 339-354, December.
    7. Vesco, Paola & Baliki, Ghassan & Brück, Tilman & Döring, Stefan & Eriksson, Anneli & Fjelde, Hanne & Guha-Sapir, Debarati & Hall, Jonathan & Knutsen, Carl Henrik & Leis, Maxine R. & Mueller, Hannes & , 2025. "The impacts of armed conflict on human development: A review of the literature," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    8. Eric W. Djimeu, 2014. "Does social action fund promote schooling in conflict affected countries? Mixed evidence from Angola," HiCN Working Papers 189, Households in Conflict Network.
    9. Idrissa Ouili, 2017. "Armed Conflicts, Children’s Education and Mortality: New Evidence from Ivory Coast," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 38(2), pages 163-183, June.
    10. Yemareshet Hailu Demeke & DAINN WIE, 2025. "The Impact of the Tigray War on Child Education and Labor in Ethiopia," GRIPS Discussion Papers 25-10, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies.
    11. Helskog, Kristine, 2024. "Effectiveness of aid on educational dropout in post-Genocide Rwanda," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    12. Congdon Fors, Heather & Isaksson, Ann-Sofie & Lindskog, Annika & Sepahvand, Mohammad, 2026. "Impacts of violent extremism on educational content," Working Papers in Economics 862, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    13. repec:fpr:2020cp:3(3 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Marco Alfano & Joseph‐Simon Görlach, 2024. "Terrorism and education: Evidence from instrumental variables estimators," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(5), pages 906-925, August.
    15. Congdon Fors, Heather & Isaksson, Ann-Sofie & Lindskog, Annika & Sepahvand, Mohammad, 2026. "A war against education?," Working Papers in Economics 861, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    16. Marijke Verpoorten, 2014. "Growth, poverty and inequality in Rwanda: a broad perspective," Working Papers of LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance 490896, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance.
    17. Tesfaw, Belete & Tefera, Gerima & Awoke, Sisay & Abye, Nigussie & Adem, Mohammed & Yigzaw, Sintayehu & Wubie, Gedefaw & Arega, Amsalu & Ott, Molly & Carlson, David Lee, 2025. "Science education and conflict: The case of South Wollo, Ethiopia," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    18. Arbona, Alexei & Giménez, Víctor & López-Estrada, Sebastian & Prior, Diego, 2024. "The relationship between homicides from armed conflict and efficiency of educational quality in Colombia," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    19. Silwal, Shikha, 2016. "Resilience amidst conflict? The effect of civil war exposure on secondary education," International Journal of Development and Conflict, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, vol. 6(2), pages 97-120.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

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