Mobile Phones, Civic Engagement, and School Performance in Pakistan
Minahil Asim, Thomas S. Dee · National Bureau of Economic Research · 2016
The effective governance of local public services depends critically on the civic engagement of local citizens.However, recent efforts to promote effective citizen oversight of the public-sector services in developing countries have had mixed results.This study discusses and evaluates a uniquely designed, low-cost, scalable program designed to improve the governance and performance of primary and middle schools in the Punjab province of Pakistan.The School Council Mobilization Program (SCMP) used mobile-phone calls to provide sustained and targeted guidance to local school-council members on their responsibilities and authority.We examine the effects of the SCMP on school enrollment, student and teacher attendance, and school facilities using a "difference in difference in differences" (DDD) design based on the targeted implementation of the SCMP.We find that this initiative led to meaningful increases in primary-school enrollment, particularly for young girls (i.e., a 12.4 percent increase), as well as targeted improvements in teacher attendance and school facilities, most of which were sustained in the months after the program concluded.