Schooling and Educational Attainment: Evidence from Bangladesh

Education and human capital accumulation are essential components of eco- nomic development. This paper attempts to identify some of the individual and household level characteristics that affect the demand for schooling in Bangladesh. We examine (1) current enrolment status of children aged 6 - 12 and (2) the highest grade attained for children aged 13 - 24. The first is estimated using a standard probit model and the second using a censored ordered probit model. Estimation results show that there is no gender differential in current enrolment status but grade attainment is higher by girls, relative to boys. Increases in the permanent income of the household is always associated with an increase in educational attainment. Parental education generally has a positive and statis- tically significant effect on the educational attainment of children and mother's education has a stronger effect on both school enrolment and grade attainment of children compared to father's education.