Number of Children and Their Education in Philippine Households: Evidence from an Exogenous Change in Family Size

Abstract

Relative to countries with about the same level of development, the Philippines is known for high school attendance at all levels. Even with its relatively low per capita income, it has achieved attendance rates that approximate those found in high-income countries that led analysts to consider the performance of the Philippines in this area an outlier (see for instance Berhman, 1990, Behrman and Schneider, 1994). This advantage, however, is fast eroding in recent years. For instance, UNESCO data show that Thailand has surpassed the Philippines in attendance rates at the secondary and tertiary levels since the late 1990s2. But what is even more alarming, as this paper will later show, is that this erosion is faster among larger and also poorer families. The segment of society that needs most higher education investment to hasten poverty alleviation is in fact investing lower than those who need it less.