Intergenerational Mobility in Socio‐economic Status in Ethiopia

Abstract

Using data from two comprehensive national Labour Force Surveys and monetary and non‐monetary outcomes, we examine the extent of intergenerational mobility in Ethiopia. Results from ordinary least squares and quantile regression suggest moderate to high levels of earnings persistence. Generalised ordered logit‐based results suggest significant mobility educationally, which may be linked to the significant widening of educational opportunities over the last two decades, but hardly any evidence of mobility occupationally. Sons are found to be more mobile than daughters in all cases. Public policy may have to foster the equality of opportunities generally and along gender lines in order to enhance mobility. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Educational mobility in developing countries

“…As in the South Asian region, a worrying finding in sub-Saharan countries is that the increase in absolute upward educational mobility driven by educational expansion has not resulted in a commensurable increase in occupational mobility (for an analysis of Kenya and Tanzania, see Knight and Sabot 1986; for a study of Ethiopia, see Haile 2018). Furthermore, Knight and Sabot (1986) find that in Kenya, the substantial expansion of primary schooling has resulted in a stronger association between social background and secondary-school students' educational performance and school quality, a finding consistent with the MMI and EMI hypotheses outlined in section 3.…”

Upward mobility implications on the aspirant middle class in emerging economies

“…This article modelled a binary logistic regression analysis to select the key determinants of social mobility using the Gauteng City‐Region Observatory (2021) survey data. Empirically, logistic regression has been widely applied in various studies that attempt to establish determinants of social mobility and also in class analysis when trying to predict membership of being poor, middle class or other higher classes (Bossuroy & Cogneau, 2013; Che Mat et al, 2016; Haile, 2018; López‐Calva & Ortiz‐Juarez, 2011; Sokołowska, 2013). The binary logistic regression analysis was modelled using a dichotomous dependent variable (socioeconomic class): 0 = ‘aspirants’ and 1 = ‘middle class’.…”

Educational Mobility in the Developing World

“…As in the South Asian region, a worrying finding in sub-Saharan countries is that the increase in absolute upward educational mobility driven by educational expansion has not resulted in a commensurable increase in occupational mobility (for an analysis of Kenya and Tanzania, see Knight and Sabot 1986; for a study of Ethiopia, see Haile 2018). Furthermore, Knight and Sabot (1986) find that in Kenya, the substantial expansion of primary schooling has resulted in a stronger association between social background and secondary-school students' educational performance and school quality, a finding consistent with the MMI and EMI hypotheses outlined in Section 7.3.…”