Socio-Economic Status and Children’s Schooling Outcomes in Mozambique

This study investigates the association between socio-economic factors and children’s schooling outcomes (school access as proxied by ever enrolled, dropping out and staying in school – current enrolled or still in school) for children in Mozambique using the probit model. The results show that there is not much difference between factors that affect access and those that affect dropping out or staying in school once enrolled. Children from the poorest families, with less educated parents, from the north region, who live far away from a water source and are not the biological children of the household head were found to be most disadvantaged in all the three schooling outcomes compared to their counterparts with educated parents, from wealthy families and with water at home. The rural–urban divide, availability of electricity and land or livestock at home had no significant correlation with children schooling outcomes. This study therefore argues that policymakers must implement policies that improve the socio-economic backgrounds of children, by dealing with the demand-side factors particularly enhancing adult literacy programmes, providing water sources close to households, encouraging pre-primary education centres and improving the general welfare of households where children live. In a nutshell, results showed that demand-side factors were strong hindrances to children’s schooling and have to be prioritized in drafting and implementing of education policies.