Does ICT Increase Years of Education? Evidence from Peru

In policy circles a lively debate exists regarding the effects on educational outcomes of introducing computers in schools. A number of empirical studies have measured its effect on test scores. There is a lack of empirical evidence, however, on the effects of this type of intervention on drop-out and repetition rates, variables that have a direct impact on years of education. This paper aims to fill this gap in the literature. To this end, we analyze rich longitudinal censal data from Peru as well as information regarding a specific program that deployed computers in 350 schools in the year 2004. Results indicate null impacts of increasing computer access on repetition, drop-out rates and initial enrollment. The large sample sizes allow us to detect even very modest effects. These results, together with previous evidence on the lack of effects on tests scores, point to a limited potential of computers in improving education outcomes.