Research Article
Impact of Cash Transfers on School Enrolment and Attendance by Gender in Kenya
Jared Masini Ichwara*
Issue:
Volume 13, Issue 4, August 2025
Pages:
156-176
Received:
31 May 2025
Accepted:
16 June 2025
Published:
10 July 2025
Abstract: School enrolment and attendance are education performance outcomes that are important for human capital development. In Kenya and other developing countries, majority of children have low school enrolment and attendance ratios due to low access to social services by poor families and gender differences. This paper investigates the impact of cash transfers on human capital development through school enrolment and attendance in Kenya. We applied nonlinear and propensity score matching regression models on a nationally representative household survey to investigate the impact of non-conditional government cash transfers on children’s school enrolment and attendance. The empirical evidence shows that children in cash transfer-receiving households differ from those in non-recipient households. We note that the gender gap in school enrolment and attendance is narrowing but girls are still in a disadvantaged position. We find that cash transfers have an impact on human capital development through children’s school enrolment and attendance in Kenya and they are capable of addressing gender disparities with significant effects in both girls and boys, though the girls are still in a disadvantaged position. To effectively disrupt the intergenerational cycle of poverty, the building of sufficient human capital through cash transfers requires enhancement of the fiscal space and establishment of governance administrative structures that are accountable and transparent in their delivery mechanism of cash transfers. To bridge the gender gap, gender mainstreaming should take centre stage in the allocation of cash transfers.
Abstract: School enrolment and attendance are education performance outcomes that are important for human capital development. In Kenya and other developing countries, majority of children have low school enrolment and attendance ratios due to low access to social services by poor families and gender differences. This paper investigates the impact of cash tr...
Show More
Research Article
The Conditional Promise of FDI: New Insights from South Asia’s Growth Experience
Issue:
Volume 13, Issue 4, August 2025
Pages:
177-191
Received:
4 June 2025
Accepted:
18 June 2025
Published:
10 July 2025
Abstract: This paper investigates how Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) affects economic growth in five South Asian countries—Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal—between 2019 and 2023. Although FDI is often seen as a key driver of development through capital investment, technology transfer, and improved management practices, its actual impact on economic growth in developing countries remains unclear. This study builds on the Absorptive-Capacity Hypothesis, which suggests that the benefits of FDI depend on how well a country can use the knowledge and resources that come with it. Using macroeconomic data from the World Bank, the study applies panel data techniques and lagged variables to understand the short-run effects of FDI, while also controlling for inflation and trade openness. The analysis begins with Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression and continues with Fixed Effects (FE) and Random Effects (RE) models to account for differences across countries. The results show that FDI, when lagged by one year, has a statistically significant negative effect on GDP growth, while trade openness supports growth and inflation reduces it. The Hausman test confirms that the Fixed Effects model is more appropriate, highlighting the importance of country-specific factors. These findings suggest that FDI on its own may not lead to growth unless countries improve their ability to absorb and benefit from it. The paper concludes that strong trade policies, inflation control, and investment in human capital are crucial for ensuring that FDI contributes to long-term economic development in South Asia.
Abstract: This paper investigates how Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) affects economic growth in five South Asian countries—Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal—between 2019 and 2023. Although FDI is often seen as a key driver of development through capital investment, technology transfer, and improved management practices, its actual impact on ...
Show More
