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Early Childhood Education and Cognitive Outcomes in Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study from Vietnam

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Rogers

    (Development and Policies Research Center (DEPOCEN), Hanoi, Vietnam)

  • Doan Hai Ma

    (Development and Policies Research Center (DEPOCEN), Hanoi, Vietnam)

  • Tra Nguyen

    (Development and Policies Research Center (DEPOCEN), Hanoi, Vietnam)

  • Anh Ngoc Nguyen

    (Development and Policies Research Center (DEPOCEN), Hanoi, Vietnam)

Abstract

Previous research shows that Early Childhood Education (ECE) positively impacts cognitive outcomes later in life. Few studies examine the impacts of time spent in ECE in developing countries. We use data from the Young Lives project in Vietnam with 2SLS regressions to estimate the impact of years spent in ECE on cognitive outcomes in adolescence. We find that one extra year in ECE corresponds to 21.8 percentage point (1.25 SD) and 30.8 percentage point (2.78 SD) increases in math and verbal cognition scores, respectively. Our estimates suggest that ECE is highly effective in Vietnam and is a potential strategy for bridging educational outcomes gaps.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Rogers & Doan Hai Ma & Tra Nguyen & Anh Ngoc Nguyen, 2018. "Early Childhood Education and Cognitive Outcomes in Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study from Vietnam," Working Papers 186, Development and Policies Research Center (DEPOCEN), Vietnam.
    • Handle: RePEc:dpc:wpaper:0118
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Betancur, Laura & Votruba-Drzal, Elizabeth & Miller, Portia, 2025. "Long-term associations between early childhood education and academic achievement in two low- and middle-income countries," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    3. Mst Asma Khatun & Shibly Shahrier & Koji Kotani, 2020. "Cooperation and cognition gaps for salinity: A field experiment of information provision," Working Papers SDES-2020-4, Kochi University of Technology, School of Economics and Management, revised Jun 2020.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • C36 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation

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