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Starting Strong: Investigating the Importance of Early Academic Performance for Adult Human Capital

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  • Heidi Kaila
  • David E Sahn
  • Naveen Sunder

Abstract

We use a production function approach to investigate the factors that determine young adults' human capital outcomes in Madagascar and Senegal. Our study relies on unique and comparable panel data spanning over 15 years for both countries. We find that second-grade students' test scores are strong indicators of their French and math skills, as well as their educational attainment in their early twenties. Moreover, we observe that the association between second-grade skills and later-life outcomes is stronger among girls than boys, and in math test scores compared with French test scores. Our results emphasise the critical role of performing well during the early school years, as it predicts long-term outcomes, especially for vulnerable populations such as girls.

Suggested Citation

  • Heidi Kaila & David E Sahn & Naveen Sunder, 2024. "Starting Strong: Investigating the Importance of Early Academic Performance for Adult Human Capital," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 33(4), pages 343-367.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jafrec:v:33:y:2024:i:4:p:343-367.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jae/ejad018
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    education; cognition; human capital; Africa; JEL classification: O12; C93; D62;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D62 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Externalities

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