Abstract

This study employs a difference-in-differences estimation strategy to study the causal impacts of free primary education (FPE) on women’s schooling and fertility-related outcomes using the 1990s FPE reform of Malawi. The results show that full exposure to FPE at the mean value of the reform’s potential impact led to an 18.5 percentage points increase in the probability of ever enrolling in school and 1.2 years of additional schooling. Furthermore, the reduced form estimates suggest that full exposure to FPE increased age at first marriage and at first childbirth by almost 0.79 and 0.98 years respectively. The study also finds statistically significant reductions at all ages between age 14 and 24 in the total number of children to which women give birth. By age 24, for example, full exposure to FPE at the mean value of the reform’s potential impact led to 0.28 fewer children. In addition, there is evidence showing that exposure to FPE led to increased spacing between the first two births (about six additional months) if the first child is female. The study explores several channels through which FPE may affect fertility-related outcomes. Postponement of marriage and first childbirth, increased contraceptive use, and changes in mate characteristics all play a role.

中文翻译：

---

免费初等教育，生育时机和总生育

摘要

本研究采用差异差异估计策略，通过1990年代马拉维FPE改革，研究了免费初等教育（FPE）对妇女入学和与生育相关的结果的因果影响。结果表明，以改革潜在影响的平均值计算的全民教育覆盖率导致入学的可能性和再受教育1.2年的可能性增加了18.5个百分点。此外，表格形式估计的减少表明，完全接触FPE会使首次结婚和首次分娩的年龄分别增加近0.79和0.98岁。这项研究还发现，妇女分娩的孩子总数在14至24岁之间的所有年龄段都有统计学意义的下降。例如，到24岁，以改革潜在影响的平均值计算的FPE全面暴露导致儿童减少0.28。此外，有证据表明，如果第一个孩子是女性，则接触FPE会导致前两胎之间的间隔增加（大约再增加六个月）。该研究探索了FPE可能影响生育力相关结果的几种途径。推迟结婚和首次分娩，增加避孕方法的使用以及伴侣特征的改变都起着作用。