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Health and Schooling Investments in Africa

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  • T. Paul Schultz

Abstract

Intercountry comparisons show Africa's health and education falls short of other regions, controlling for income, women's educations, and urbanization, but growth regressions do not clarify whether this low human capital caused slow growth. Microeconometric estimates of wage returns to schooling and health indicate relatively attractive private returns in several sub-Saharan countries, although data are severely limited. Biases due to household heterogeneity and selection into the sample of wage earners do not appear to alter these assessments that the quantity and quality of human capital investments will affect future economic growth in Africa and its more equitable distribution.

Suggested Citation

  • T. Paul Schultz, 1999. "Health and Schooling Investments in Africa," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 13(3), pages 67-88, Summer.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:jecper:v:13:y:1999:i:3:p:67-88
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/jep.13.3.67
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education

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