Public Spending and Primary School Enrollment: An Autoregressive Distributed Lag Approach

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Public Spending and Primary School Enrollment: An Autoregressive Distributed Lag Approach
Language: English
Authors: Parfait Bihkongnyuy Beri (ORCID 0000-0001-5947-8752), Logan Cochrane (ORCID 0000-0001-7321-8295), Sarah Syed Fazlullah (ORCID 0009-0008-1856-8936)
Source: Education Policy Analysis Archives. 2025 33(24).
Availability: Colleges of Education at Arizona State University and the University of South Florida. c/o Editor, USF EDU162, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620-5650. Tel: 813-974-3400; Fax: 813-974-3826; Web site: https://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/index.php/epaa
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 26
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: Elementary Schools, Developing Nations, Foreign Countries, Expenditures, Educational Finance, Enrollment Trends, Income, Educational Policy, Resource Allocation
Geographic Terms: Africa
ISSN: 1068-2341
Abstract: This paper delves into the effects of public investment on primary school enrollment in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) across three decades, from 1990 to 2020. Autoregressive distributed lag models are employed to evaluate their long-term relationship for the whole sample and four distinct sub-samples while also probing the potential non-linear nature of the relationship. Results reveal that public expenditure has a significant, positive impact on enrollment across LMICs, including low-income (LICs), lower-middle-income (LMCs), and sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries in the long run. These effects persist under non-linear model specifications. The study provides fresh empirical insights by adopting a long-term viewpoint on the nexus between educational funding and enrollment trends in LMICs. The findings highlight the critical role of sustained and efficient funding in achieving enrollment goals, a cornerstone for advancing sustainable development. Beyond conventional revenues and expenditures in the education finance literature, the study also discusses alternative policy approaches that can enhance the efficient use of allocated resources.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1471333
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:This paper delves into the effects of public investment on primary school enrollment in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) across three decades, from 1990 to 2020. Autoregressive distributed lag models are employed to evaluate their long-term relationship for the whole sample and four distinct sub-samples while also probing the potential non-linear nature of the relationship. Results reveal that public expenditure has a significant, positive impact on enrollment across LMICs, including low-income (LICs), lower-middle-income (LMCs), and sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries in the long run. These effects persist under non-linear model specifications. The study provides fresh empirical insights by adopting a long-term viewpoint on the nexus between educational funding and enrollment trends in LMICs. The findings highlight the critical role of sustained and efficient funding in achieving enrollment goals, a cornerstone for advancing sustainable development. Beyond conventional revenues and expenditures in the education finance literature, the study also discusses alternative policy approaches that can enhance the efficient use of allocated resources.
ISSN:1068-2341