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Impact of Secondary Schooling on Malnutrition and Fertility

Impact of Secondary Schooling on Malnutrition and Fertility. Syed Rashed Al Zayed, Yaniv Stopnitzky, Qaiser Khan . Introduction. This paper examines the role of secondary education on the fertility rate and levels of chronic malnutrition among children under five years of age in Bangladesh.

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Impact of Secondary Schooling on Malnutrition and Fertility

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  1. Impact of Secondary Schooling on Malnutrition and Fertility Syed Rashed Al Zayed, Yaniv Stopnitzky, Qaiser Khan

  2. Introduction • This paper examines the role of secondary education on the fertility rate and levels of chronic malnutrition among children under five years of age in Bangladesh.

  3. Introduction (Cont.) • Early research attributes fertility decline to the rise in contraceptive use and efficacy of FP programs. (e.g. Bongaarts and Potter, 1983) • Recent research shows that changes in socio-economic status alter the cost/benefit ratio faced by households, and leads parents to have less children (e.g. Bongaarts, 2005, Olfa and Lahga (undated)). • In Becker and Lewis (1973) an economic theory of family views children as a durable commodity and predicts that increased socio economic status of the mother increases the opportunity cost of raising a child (Olfa and Lahga, (undated)).

  4. 7 Knowledge of 6 Contraceptive 5 4 N of Live Births 3 Fertility Rate 2 1 0 Contraceptive Prevalence, Knowledge of Modern Contraceptive, Level of Education and Fertility Rate 80 Modern 70 60 53 Prevalence 47 50 40 Percentage of Women 34 33 30 26 20 10 0 1975 1980 1985 1990 1991 1993 1994 1997 2000 2004 Share of female students over boys Sources: BDHS 2004, BANBEIS 2002

  5. Introduction (Cont.) • Current Scenario in Bangladesh • Latest data show a slight decline in fertility rate (from 3.3 to 3.0) after almost a decade-long plateau. [DHS 2004] • During the stalled period • Contraceptive prevalence continued to rise (from around 44% in 1995 to 51 in 2004) [DHS 2004] • Knowledge of contraceptives is almost universal • There has been a sharp increase in levels of woman’s education during 90s has been experienced (male enrolment rates also increased from 34 in 1990 to 53 in 2002).[BANBEIS 2002]

  6. Increased Age at Marriage and Age at first Birth Opportunity Cost Increased Labor Participation Indirect Effect Wage Increase Information on advantages of small family size, contraception and future benefits Fertility Direct Effect Demand for Quality Cost How Education Affects Fertility: An Economic Model Education

  7. Fertility Rate by Level of Wealth and Education 4 3 3 Live Births per Woman 2 2 1 Poorest Poorer Middle Richer Richest No education Primary Secondary Higher Source: Author’s Calculation using DHS 2004

  8. Fertility Rate by Level of Wealth and Education Source: Author’s Calculation using DHS 2004

  9. Intention to Contraceptive Use by Level of Education Source: Author’s Calculation using DHS 2004

  10. Age At First Marriage and Age at First Birth By Wealth Index and Education 20 19 18 17 Years 16 15 14 13 1 2 3 4 5 Level of Education and Wealth Index Source: Author’s Calculation using DHS 2004

  11. Table: Contact With Family Planning Workers Health Workers by N of Living Children and Location Source: Author’s Calculation using DHS 2004

  12. Trends in Nutritional Status of Children Under Five Source: DHS 2004

  13. Percentage of stunting and under weight children by level of mother’s education and wealth status of the family Source: Author’s Calculation using DHS 2004

  14. Econometrics: Fertility (Cont.)

  15. Econometrics: Malnutrition (Cont.)

  16. Conclusions • Summary findings • Mother’s education significantly reduces fertility rate and malnutrition of under-five children. • Secondary education of the mother has the largest effect on fertility. A secondary educated mother is more likely to have less children, irrespective of her wealth status. • In the case of malnutrition, wealth status has significant effect only in extreme cases (i.e., only upon the poorest ones and the richest). • Secondary education of a mother significantly reduces the probability of a child to be malnourished, irrespective of the wealth status of the family. • Mother’s education (secondary level) has the largest effect upon both malnutrition and fertility.

  17. Conclusion (Cont.) • Policy recommendations • Demand intervention through education • Education (especially female secondary) should be considered as the key policy option to achieve the MDGs on fertility and malnutrition in Bangladesh. • Secondary curriculum should include more information on benefits of having small family size, contraception methods, disadvantages of early marriage, ideal nutritional behavior and child and maternal health. • Supply intervention/ FP Programs • Above recommendations do not suggest stopping or reducing FP programs or other awareness-raising activities that are currently in place.

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