Though I mainly focus on microfinance here at CMF, I am always drawn to research and news on education. I think that in India, and in most other nations, educational opportunity and attainment is one of the key factors in determining whether individuals and their families can improve their lives.
Accordingly, I eagerly read a recent editorial written by the heads of the Poverty Action Lab (JPAL) in South Asia (here), on how deworming can increase child attendance in schools. According to the editorial, a deworming intervention in Kenyan primary schools reduced absenteeism by 25% and increased the amount of schooling the average child receives by one year.
In a study conducted in Delhi at Pratham preschools (an NGO that focuses on children literacy) focusing on child health once again yielded educational returns. Deworming tablets, coupled with iron and Vitamin A supplements to combat anaemia, were provided to children in this study involving about 3,000 children. Weight gain was about 5.8%, and on the educational side, participation in preschools increased by almost 6% and absenteeism fell by about 20%.
In addition to the marked increase in school participation, these health interventions are also attractive on another dimension; they are relatively cheap. When comparing deworming to other interventions that would increase school participation by one year, deworming is substantially cheaper. Deworming cost US$5 per child, while other typical interventions cost the following:
1) School meals. ~US$30
2) School uniforms, ~US$100
3) Conditional cash transfers, ~US$125
Once children are healthy enough to get into the classroom, there are plenty of challenges that remain, including teacher absenteeism and quality. That said, getting children into the classrooms is a start and deworming is a prudent path to addressing this challenge. To learn more about the studies in Delhi and Kenya, check out the following links:
1) Kenyan deworming initiative and analysis
2) Pratham deworming and anaemia intervention
* Thanks to Theresa Chen for pointing out the editorial, and Thomas and Clara at JPAL for writing it!
4 comments:
That's an excellent point to be considered by the government of India which is spending millions of rupees in mid day meal programs in schools to reduce absenteeism. But even with all its merits it's a very tough job to inculcate good habits in a corrupt Indian government. There is also the news of mid day meal scam which runs in hundreds of thousands rupees according to news agencies.
If provided correctly (i.e., no scams), there is utility to the mid-day meal program. Providing students meals that some would otherwise not receive makes sense. That said, there are some programs, such as school uniforms, that do not help children nearly as much as deworming and other health initiatives would.
So, I guess the question would be, what is the best way to convince the state or national government to follow research-based recommendations to address problems such as absenteeism? Is there a strategy that could be taken?
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