The Impact of Remittances on Child Education in Pakistan

Abstract

This study examines the impact of remittances on school enrollment and the level of education attained among children aged 4–15 years in Pakistan. It uses a nationally representative survey, the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey for 2010/11. The migrant network variable at the village level interacting with the number of adults at the household level is used as an instrument for remittances. The results of the IV probit model show that children from remittance-receiving households are more likely to enroll in school. The marginal impact of remittances on school enrollment is larger for girls and for rural households. Hence, remittances help reduce regional and gender disparities in child school enrollment in Pakistan. The IV censored ordered probit model is used to investigate the impact of remittances on children’s grade attainment. The estimated impact is negative and significant, except for urban children, lowering the probability that a child will move to a higher grade.