The Impact of South Africa’s Child Support Grant on Schooling and Learning

This paper examines the impact of South Africa’s Child Support Grant (CSG) on the schooling and learning attainments of children. Children who were enrolled in the CSG at birth completed 0.14 more grades of schooling than children who were enrolled at age six. There are marked gender differences. Early CSG enrollment improves girls’ grade attainment and their scores on tests of mathematical ability and reading. There are no impacts on boys’ schooling or learning. The CSG plays a compensatory role in narrowing the grade attainment gap between children whose mothers have not completed primary school and mothers with at least some secondary education. This occurs because early receipt of CSG reduces the likelihood that children from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to enroll late