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Although the theoretical case for universal pre-primary education is strong, the empirical foundation is weak. In this paper, we contribute to the empirical case by investigating the effect of a large expansion of universal pre-primary education on subsequent primary school performance in Argentina. We estimate that one year of preprimary school increases average third grade test scores by 8 percent of a mean or by 23 percent of the standard deviation of the distribution of test scores. We also find that preprimary school attendance positively affects student's self-control in the third grade as measured by behaviors such as attention, effort, class participation, and discipline.
Authors
Working Paper details
- DOI
- 10.1920/wp.ifs.2006.0604
- Publisher
- IFS
Suggested citation
S, Berlinski and S, Galiani and P, Gertler. (2006). The effect of pre-primary education on primary school performance. London: IFS. Available at: https://ifs.org.uk/publications/effect-pre-primary-education-primary-school-performance (accessed: 30 June 2024).
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