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The Impact of Remittances on Education in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon

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  • Jad Chaaban

    (American University of Beirut)

  • Wael Mansour

Abstract

This paper uses micro data from three households’ surveys conducted in three neighboring countries in the Eastern Mediterranean (Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon) to study the impact of migrant remittances on education attendance and attainment. The paper relies on a model that depicts the relationship between migration and remittances from one end and human capital formation represented through education from the other. Empirical results show that migrant remittance receipt has a positive effect on education attendance. This finding is obtained while controlling for other socio-economic determinants of schooling behavior, and is robust to censorship and endogeneity bias. Results also show that the magnitude of the remittance impact on both education outcomes is larger for men compared to that of women in Jordan and Syria, but lower in Lebanon. This shows that in some countries around the region gender dimensions are still important in the household’s investment decisions in the sibling’s human capital.

Suggested Citation

  • Jad Chaaban & Wael Mansour, 2012. "The Impact of Remittances on Education in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon," Working Papers 684, Economic Research Forum, revised 2012.
    • Handle: RePEc:erg:wpaper:684
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    2. Hayot Berk Saydaliev & Lee Chin, 2023. "The necessity of social infrastructure for enhancing educational attainment: evidence from high remittance recipient LMICs," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(3), pages 1823-1847, June.
    3. Assaad, Ragui & Hendy, Rana & Salehi-Isfahani, Djavad, 2019. "Inequality of opportunity in educational attainment in the Middle East and North Africa: Evidence from household surveys," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 24-43.
    4. Tiza, Fahana Tahi & Farid, Kazi Shek & Mozumdar, Lavlu, 2020. "Impact Of Remittances On Educational Attainment Of The Migrant Households: A Micro Level Study," Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Economics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, vol. 40(1&2), February.
    5. repec:dau:papers:123456789/14987 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Sami Ullah Khan & Muhammad Jehangir Khan, 2016. "The Impact of Remittances on Child Education in Pakistan," Lahore Journal of Economics, Department of Economics, The Lahore School of Economics, vol. 21(1), pages 69-98, Jan-June.
    7. Atnashev, Timur M. (Атнашев, Тимур) & Balobanov, A.E. (Балобанов, А.Е.), 2016. "The Ratio of Project Management Tools and 'Classical' Public Service in OECD Countries and Developing Countries [Соотношение Инструментов Проектного Управления И «Классической» Государственной Служ," Working Papers 2869, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.
    8. Muhammad Azam & Syed Ali Raza, 2016. "Do Workers’ Remittances Boost Human Capital Development?," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 55(2), pages 123-149.
    9. Vladimir Hlasny & Shireen AlAzzawi, 2020. "Return Migration and Earnings Mobility in Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia," Working Papers 562, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.

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