What happen to children's education when their parents emigrate? Evidence from Sri Lanka

Sarma, Vengadeshvaran and Parinduri, Rasyad (2013): What happen to children's education when their parents emigrate? Evidence from Sri Lanka.

Abstract

We examine the effects of parental emigration from Sri Lanka on the education of the migrants' children left behind. Using access to foreign-employment agencies at community level as an instrument for migration in two-stage least squares estimations, we do not find parental migration matters on average. However, analyses by the gender of the migrants show the effects are heterogeneous: When the mothers migrate and the fathers stay behind, education of the children worsens; but, when the fathers migrate and the mothers take care of the children, it improves. There are also some evidence boys, younger children, and children of the less educated parents gain more from parental migration.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: parental migration, children’s education, South Asia, Sri Lanka
• Subjects: F - International Economics > F2 - International Factor Movements and International Business > F22 - International Migration; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I2 - Education and Research Institutions > I22 - Educational Finance ; Financial Aid; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O15 - Human Resources ; Human Development ; Income Distribution ; Migration

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