Inequalities in Education: International Experience

Comparing inequalities between the rich and the poor in education outcomes, or differences in outcomes for boys and girls across countries is difficult because of the lack of comparable data. The Demographic and Health Surveys provide a uniquely rich data source that overcomes this problem. Analysis of these household data from 43 predominantly poor countries reveals that in most countries there is a substantial gap in the educational attainment of children from rich and poor families. In countries with low relative gaps this is often because of the low levels of education among both the rich and the poor (mostly the case in countries in Western and Central Africa). In a subset of countries, mostly those in western, central, and northern Africa, as well as in South Asia, the education of girls is substantially lower that that of boys. While comparing the attainment of a slightly older cohort (children aged 15 to 19) to the enrollment of a younger cohort (children aged 6 to 14) suggests positive improvements in some countries, this is not always the case. Education gaps are not generally becoming smaller.