Targeted Poverty Alleviation and Children's Academic Performance in China

35 Pages Posted: 30 Aug 2021 Last revised: 16 Apr 2023

See all articles by Huifu Nong

Huifu Nong

Guangdong University of Finance

Qing Zhang

Hunan University of Technology and Business

Hongjia Zhu

Jinan University

Rong Zhu

Flinders University

Abstract

This paper estimates the causal impact of China's targeted poverty alleviation program on the academic achievement of students from poor households. We use the longitudinal academic records of a cohort of students from all middle schools in a nationally designated poor county in China. Using the difference-in-differences approach, we show that targeted poverty alleviation improves the scholastic performance of girls and their achievement rank among peer students. However, we find no such empirical evidence for boys. Our findings suggest that the new anti-poverty program in China has the potential to ameliorate the intergenerational transmission of low socioeconomic status to girls by promoting their human capital accumulation.

Keywords: middle school, targeted poverty alleviation, academic outcomes, China

JEL Classification: I21, I32, I38

Suggested Citation

Nong, Huifu and Zhang, Qing and Zhu, Hongjia and Zhu, Rong, Targeted Poverty Alleviation and Children's Academic Performance in China. IZA Discussion Paper No. 14674, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3913035 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3913035

Huifu Nong (Contact Author)

Guangdong University of Finance

Yingfu Road 527, Longdong
Tianhe District
Guangzhou, 510521
China

Qing Zhang

Hunan University of Technology and Business ( email )

569 Yuelu Avenue
Changsha, Hunan
China

Hongjia Zhu

Jinan University ( email )

Huang Pu Da Dao Xi 601, Tian He District
Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632
China

Rong Zhu

Flinders University

GPO Box 2100
Adelaide S.A. 5001, SA 5063
Australia

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