Effects of Youth Savings Accounts on School Attendance and Academic Performance: Evidence from a Youth Savings Experiment

David Ansong; Gina Chowa; Rainier Masa; Mathieu Despard; Michael Sherraden; Shiyou Wu; Isaac Osei-Akoto

doi:10.1007/s10834-018-9604-5

Effects of Youth Savings Accounts on School Attendance and Academic Performance: Evidence from a Youth Savings Experiment

David Ansong, Gina Chowa, Rainier Masa, Mathieu Despard, Michael Sherraden, Shiyou Wu, Isaac Osei-Akoto

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

Asset-accumulation interventions are promising tools for promoting better educational outcomes. However, little is known about the educational effects of youth-owned assets, particularly in resource-limited countries. The Ghana YouthSave Experiment established a rigorous foundation for exploring youth responses when offered opportunities to save for their education. This study uses data from 2000 junior high YouthSave participants, who were randomly assigned to one of two treatments (in-school or local bank access) or the control group. Treatment effects on school attendance and academic performance are examined using difference-in-difference estimation with bootstrapped standard errors. Treatment effects were significant for attendance but not performance. Findings suggest longer posttreatment follow-up is needed for effects to manifest. This study demonstrates the potential of asset-accumulation programs to contribute to improved behavioral outcomes, and offers insights for the integration of financial capability programs in youth development policies.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	269-281
Number of pages	13
Journal	Journal of Family and Economic Issues
Volume	40
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-018-9604-5
State	Published - Jun 15 2019

Keywords

Academic performance
Difference-in-difference
Financial inclusion
Junior high school
School attendance

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Social Psychology
Economics and Econometrics

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10.1007/s10834-018-9604-5

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abstract = "Asset-accumulation interventions are promising tools for promoting better educational outcomes. However, little is known about the educational effects of youth-owned assets, particularly in resource-limited countries. The Ghana YouthSave Experiment established a rigorous foundation for exploring youth responses when offered opportunities to save for their education. This study uses data from 2000 junior high YouthSave participants, who were randomly assigned to one of two treatments (in-school or local bank access) or the control group. Treatment effects on school attendance and academic performance are examined using difference-in-difference estimation with bootstrapped standard errors. Treatment effects were significant for attendance but not performance. Findings suggest longer posttreatment follow-up is needed for effects to manifest. This study demonstrates the potential of asset-accumulation programs to contribute to improved behavioral outcomes, and offers insights for the integration of financial capability programs in youth development policies.",

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AU - Despard, Mathieu

AU - Sherraden, Michael

AU - Wu, Shiyou

AU - Osei-Akoto, Isaac

N1 - Funding Information: Funding This study was funded by Mastercard Foundation via Save the Children Subgrant No. 12401008a. Publisher Copyright: © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

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N2 - Asset-accumulation interventions are promising tools for promoting better educational outcomes. However, little is known about the educational effects of youth-owned assets, particularly in resource-limited countries. The Ghana YouthSave Experiment established a rigorous foundation for exploring youth responses when offered opportunities to save for their education. This study uses data from 2000 junior high YouthSave participants, who were randomly assigned to one of two treatments (in-school or local bank access) or the control group. Treatment effects on school attendance and academic performance are examined using difference-in-difference estimation with bootstrapped standard errors. Treatment effects were significant for attendance but not performance. Findings suggest longer posttreatment follow-up is needed for effects to manifest. This study demonstrates the potential of asset-accumulation programs to contribute to improved behavioral outcomes, and offers insights for the integration of financial capability programs in youth development policies.

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Effects of Youth Savings Accounts on School Attendance and Academic Performance: Evidence from a Youth Savings Experiment

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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