The Impact of Extreme Weather Events on Education

Abstract

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in AbstractThis paper analyzes the short-and long-term impact of extreme weather events on educational outcomes in Mongolia. Our focus is on two extremely severe winters that caused mass livestock mortality. We use household panel data with comprehensive retrospective information on households' historic experience with weather shocks. Exposure to the weather shock significantly reduces the likelihood of being enrolled in mandatory school two to three years after the shock. Similarly, it significantly reduces the probability of completing basic education ten to eleven years after the shock. Both effects are driven by children from herding households. Results are robust to measuring shock intensity with district-level livestock mortality and climate data as well as household-level livestock losses. Exposure to weather shocks during preschool age (as opposed to exposure during primary and secondary school age) yields the worst consequences for educational attainment. Overall, the evidence points toward income effects as the channel through which the shock impacts education.

Contexts of School and Herder Family Communication in Mongolia: A Conceptual Framework

“…It is above the average in this respect compared to other countries in the Central Asian region. Basic education is free and the government provides subsidized boarding schools for children from herder families (Groppo & Kraehnert, 2016) as boarding school dormitories have been the best practice for schooling of herders (Ahearn & Bumochir, 2016). Boarding schools make a valuable contribution toward encouraging herder families to send their children to school in the nation.…”

“…Recent statistics show that a full-time herder household owns an average of 323 head of livestock (NSOM, 2016). In the nomadic culture, herder families often move around for better pastures, and a recent study has found that most herders move their herds 2 to 25 times per year (Groppo & Kraehnert, 2016). Lkhagvadorj et al (2013) have reported that the livelihoods of herder households heavily rely on the income derived from livestock products.…”

“…Even though compulsory education is provided free of charge along with dormitories and meals, parents need to pay fees for school uniforms, learning materials, and extra classes. Moreover, transportation to school is often expensive for herder households residing in remote areas (Groppo & Kraehnert, 2016).…”

“…In December, 2009 and January, 2010, extreme weather conditions occured: the temperature dropped below -40 °C, which was the coldest since 1945. By January in 2010, 90% of the region was covered with snow and large numbers of herd animals died (Groppo & Kraehnert, 2016).…”

“…These conditions are called dzud, and they cause high mortality of livestock due to cold temperatures with excessive snowfall that restricts grazing. Dzuds can also be caused by insufficient rainfall during summer that limits grass growth (Groppo & Kraehnert, 2016). Groppo and Kraehnert (2016) studied the impacts of extreme weather conditions on education in Mongolia using household panel data along with livestock census data and climate data.…”