Family Size, Sex Composition and Children's Education: Ethnic Differentials Over Development in Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between family size and educational enrollment in Malaysia during a period of change in socioeconomic conditions and education policies. The study compares two generations of children comprising three ethnic groups and compares between-family and within-family differences. Data were obtained from the 1976 and 1988 Malaysian Family Life Surveys. The 1976 sample differentiates between women who never entered school and who had at least 1 year of schooling. The 1988 sample included those who received under 6 years or over 6 years of schooling. Logistic models were run for each separate generation each ethnic group and each sex. Findings indicate that the older generation had an average of 4.5 years of schooling. The Chinese were the best educated followed by Indians and Malays. Family size in the older generation was slightly positively related to education. There was a significant negative association in the younger generation for Chinese and Indians. Educational attainment was significantly affected by ethnicity parental socioeconomic status place of residence sex and birth cohort. The logistic models of the likelihood of primary and secondary school completion indicate that Malay family size had no effect on any level of education. There was a significant negative relationship of family size among Indians and Chinese on the chances of completing primary school but not secondary school. Sex was a significant predictor of the odds of educational attainment in the younger and older generation particularly among the Chinese where increased numbers of older sisters increased the odds of boys completing primary school. Girls were negatively affected by more younger sisters. Findings suggest that governments play a role in mitigating family-level processes affecting child well-being.