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The Growth Effects of Alternative Early Childhood Development Investment Policies in the Turkish Economy

Author

Listed:
  • Serap Sagir

    (Middle East Technical University, Department of Economics, Ankara, Türkiye)

  • ÇaÄŸaçan DeÄŸer

    (Ege University, Department of Economics, İzmir, Türkiye)

  • Durdane Sirin Saracoglu

    (Middle East Technical University, Department of Economics, Ankara, Türkiye)

Abstract

In this paper we investigate the relationship between mother’s education level and the development of young children in Turkey using representative microdata from the 2018 Turkey Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS). The data include detailed information about the developmental status of young children of 36-to-59 months old. We find that only when the mother has at least a high school level education, there is a positive impact on the child’s developmental status as summarized the Early Childhood Development (ECD) index, which is an index constructed based on the child’s four developmental domains. We also show that the household’s wealth is also positively associated with the child’s developmental status, particularly in the socio-emotional and the learning readiness domains.

Suggested Citation

  • Serap Sagir & ÇaÄŸaçan DeÄŸer & Durdane Sirin Saracoglu, 2023. "The Growth Effects of Alternative Early Childhood Development Investment Policies in the Turkish Economy," ERC Working Papers 2304, ERC - Economic Research Center, Middle East Technical University, revised Nov 2023.
    • Handle: RePEc:met:wpaper:2304
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    early childhood development; human capital accumulation; overlapping generations modeling; general equilibrium; economic growth; policy simulation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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