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Turning a Shove into a Nudge? A "Labeled Cash Transfer" for Education

Author

Listed:
  • Najy Benhassine
  • Florencia Devoto
  • Esther Duflo
  • Pascaline Dupas
  • Victor Pouliquen

Abstract

Conditional Cash Transfers (CCTs) have been shown to increase human capital investments, but their standard features make them expensive. We use a large randomized experiment in Morocco to estimate an alternative government-run program, a "labeled cash transfer" (LCT): a small cash transfer made to fathers of school-aged children in poor rural communities, not conditional on school attendance but explicitly labeled as an education support program. We document large gains in school participation. Adding conditionality and targeting mothers make almost no difference. The program increased parents' belief that education was a worthwhile investment, a likely pathway for the results.

Suggested Citation

  • Najy Benhassine & Florencia Devoto & Esther Duflo & Pascaline Dupas & Victor Pouliquen, 2013. "Turning a Shove into a Nudge? A "Labeled Cash Transfer" for Education," NBER Working Papers 19227, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:19227
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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