The Impact of Distributing School Uniforms on Children's Education: Evidence from a Randomized Trial in Kenya

March 31, 2008
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Speaker: David Evans, AFTRL, World Bank

Synopsis: We evaluate the impact of an educational intervention, in which a Kenyan non-governmental organization distributed school uniforms to children in poor communities. The NGO used a lottery to determine who would receive uniforms. We find that giving a school uniform significantly reduces school absenteeism by 38%. Effects are much larger for poorer students who did not previously own a uniform: a 64% reduction in school absenteeism.  Preliminary data suggest positive impacts of uniform distribution on test scores in core subjects.

Background Paper

• The Impact of Distributing School Uniforms on Children's Education in Kenya, by David Evans, Michael Kremer, and Mũthoni Ngatia (196kb PDF)

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