Aggregate Shocks and Enrollment Rates over a Decade in Malawi

Abstract

Abstract In this paper we report the impact of shocks of different nature and their impact on child schooling. The study is based on Malawi Longitudinal Study of Families and Health (MLSFH) project, which provide information on seven different types of shocks and along with information on schooling of boys and girls from 2008 to 2019. We found that all shocks climatic nature or otherwise have negative effect on child enrollment except in case of damage to the house substitution effect dominate and we found evidence that girls of 7-12 years of age and boys in 13-17 years of age cohort have positive correlation with this specific shock. We also found that frequency of two shocks i.e., poor crop yield and price shock have significantly deceased as compared to other types of shocks over last 10 years. However, unemployment, business failure, divorces and damages to houses remain quite persistent over last decade. Study support suggest the social protection programs for children to address the vulnerabilities faced by households of rural Malawi.