Why children work, attend school, or stay idle: the roles of ability and household wealth

Type Journal Article - Economic Development and Cultural Change
Title Why children work, attend school, or stay idle: the roles of ability and household wealth
Author(s)
Volume 56
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2008
Page numbers 791-8
URL http://econpapers.repec.org/RePEc:ucp:ecdecc:v:56:y:2008:p:791-828
Abstract
This paper offers a theoretical and empirical analysis of child labor, schooling, and idleness (neither work nor school), with particular emphasis on the roles of child ability and household wealth in determining these decisions. We show theoretically that “idleness” may be chosen optimally by low-income households whose child is of low ability. Using a rich data set from the Philippines, we find that while other factors—including mother’s labor supply, the presence of a family business, and access to good school quality—contribute to these decisions, child ability and household wealth are the most important determinants of child idleness and the use of child labor. An implication of our findings is that any policy aiming to reduce child labor and increase child schooling should also target improvements in child ability and cognitive development through investments in the nutrition and health of poor children.

Related studies

»