FCUBE achieved more than it promised

Often when people think of getting an education, they do so because they want better career outcomes or higher income. It may therefore come as a surprise to some that getting an education can actually improve health outcomes. Yes, health may be wealth after all. This is the conclusion of my recent research on the relationship between education and health.

In 1996, Ghana introduced fee-free(FCUBE) schooling for primary school and junior secondary school. That means that children who started schooling in 1996 or who were already enrolled, mainly in government-funded schools, attended for free. The study used data from the implementation of this policy to examine its impact on various health outcomes. The study design assumes that the implementation of the policy and the increased probability of fee-free schooling gives rise to a natural experiment that was analyzed for its effects on health outcomes. The results show that an extra year of schooling generates benefits for smoking prevalence, better nutrition, and health-seeking behaviour. It also increased body mass but not obesity. The primary objective of the policy was to increase enrolment and reduce dropout based on financial constraints and improve overall attainment. The results also show that this objective was achieved as the average total years of schooling increased by at least 1 year for the cohorts who had the full treatment.

This study provides new evidence on the relationship between schooling and health in low-income settings. Previous studies in low-income settings established that more schooling reduced teenage pregnancy and improved maternal health. Studies in high-income settings have not been conclusive as findings show both positive effects and no effects. What we do not know yet for low-income settings, however, is whether schooling has an effect on the probability of being diagnosed with a disease or the probability of survival.

In the case of Ghana, these findings imply that investments in early childhood education have long-term benefits beyond the wage benefit. We could also say that education develops the human capital of the people beyond the skill capital.

The paper is open access and can be accessed using the link below. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wds.2022.100041