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Gender-targeted Conditional Cash Transfers : Enrollment, Spillover Effects and Instructional Quality

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2010-03-01
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2012-03-19
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Abstract
This paper considers the effects of a gender-targeted conditional cash transfer program for girls in classes 6 to 8. It finds that the program is successful in increasing the enrollment of girls in classes 6 to 8 as intended. It also finds evidence to suggest that the program generated positive spillover effects on the enrollment of boys. This success does, however, appear to be poised to come at a cost. The student-teacher ratio in treated districts is also climbing. This suggests that in the absence of active steps to address these increasing student-teacher ratios, instructional quality is likely to suffer. The success of the program appears to be driven by enrollment increases in urban schools. This suggests the need for a reassessment of the targeting criteria in rural schools.
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Hasan, Amer. 2010. Gender-targeted Conditional Cash Transfers : Enrollment, Spillover Effects and Instructional Quality. Impact Evaluation series ; no. IE 44,Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 527. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3744 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.
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