Omoeva C, and Hatch R. Teenage, married, and out of school: Effects of early marriage and childbirth on school dropout in Eastern Africa.

This study investigates the relationship of early marriage to school participation and whether other factors, including individual or family characteristics and childbirth, moderate the relationship. We use national household survey data for Eastern Africa pooled at the regional level and in case study analyses of Malawi and Kenya. Overall, our findings confirm that marriage and schooling appear largely incompatible across the Eastern Africa region at present. The results of our regional analysis indicate that married girls are roughly 31 percentage points less likely to be attending than their unmarried peers, that the effect of marriage on school participation is stronger than teen childbirth, and that the impacts of marriage are mitigated only slightly by other advantages, such as prior educational achievement. Looking at the timing of marriage and school exit in Malawi and Kenya, we find that marriage is not only a predictor of non-attendance but of dropout.

Luke S, Omoeva C, and Hatch R. Cognitive testing and piloting of disability child functioning module for administration with children.

Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals focuses on equitable access to quality education. Our research team seeks to make a contribution to this goal by developing and validating a tool for identifying CWD’s using direct interviews and screening. This will help equip schools to identify and better support students with disabilities.