Food for thought? Experimental evidence on the learning impacts of a large-scale school feeding program
File(s)jhr.58.3.1019-10515R1.full.pdf (2.61 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Aurino, Elisabetta
Gelli, aulo
Adamba, Clement
Osei-Akoto, Isaac
Alderman, Harold
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
There is limited experimental evidence on the effects of large-scale, government-led interventions on human capital in resource-constrained settings. We report results from a randomized trial of the government of Ghana’s school feeding. After two years, the program led to moderate average increases in math and literacy standardized scores among pupils in treatment communities, and to larger achievement gains for girls and disadvantaged children and regions. Improvements in child schooling, cognition, and nutrition constituted suggestive impact mechanisms, especially for educationally-disadvantaged groups. The program combined equitable human capital accumulation with social protection, contributing to the “learning for all” sustainable development agenda.
Date Issued
2020-12-14
Date Acceptance
2020-09-21
Citation
The Journal of Human Resources, 2020, 2020, pp.1-75
ISSN
0022-166X
Publisher
University of Wisconsin Press
Start Page
1
End Page
75
Journal / Book Title
The Journal of Human Resources
Volume
2020
Copyright Statement
© 2020 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
This open access article is distributed under the terms of the CC-BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0) and is freely available online at: http://jhr.uwpress.org
This open access article is distributed under the terms of the CC-BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0) and is freely available online at: http://jhr.uwpress.org
License URL
Identifier
http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2020/12/03/jhr.58.3.1019-10515R1
Subjects
1402 Applied Economics
1801 Law
Economics
Publication Status
Published online
Date Publish Online
2020-12-14