The tradeoff between number of children and child schooling

Abstract

Data from the Cote dIvoire Living Standards Measurement Survey are used in this analysis of the relationship between school enrollment and investments in schooling and fertility. The analysis is based on exchange theories of quantity-quality tradeoffs. In rural areas of Cote dIvoire higher fertility is associated with higher child schooling. Urban areas show the expected relationship of a negative tradeoff evident in southeast Asia and other developing countries. The urban-rural differences are attributed to the potential out migration to urban areas of well educated women. An increase in school prices are tentatively found to have little impact on fertility but considerable impact on reduced school enrollments. Greater educational attainment may also indirectly improve child survivorship. Statistically significant findings in Ghana are reported on the large impact of maternal educational level on both fertility and child school enrollment. Women with a secondary school education have 1.1 fewer children than women with no schooling. Children of women with secondary schooling have 0.9 years more schooling than children of women who have no schooling. Ghana does not reflect different relationships in urban and rural areas as reflected in the Cote dIvoire analysis. Availability of schooling does impact significantly in rural areas in Ghana however maternal secondary schooling has a larger predicted impact on childs schooling in rural areas. The price of schooling in Ghana has a very small statistically significant effect on fertility. For example a 10% decrease in the annual school fee from the mean school fee reduces the prediction of children ever born by only 0.06 children. Quality of local schools has a significant positive effect. The implication for policy is support for raising future school enrollment as an instrument of fertility decline. A change in school costs is not considered relevant to fertility reduction.