title: Intergenerational educational mobility and the destitution programme in Botswana
Creators: name: Mookodi, Lillian
Publisher: name: University of Reading
Year: 2029

description: In development economics, socio-economic mobility is frequently regarded as being 
intrinsically connected to the principle of equal opportunity. This connection has sparked 
considerable research suggesting that socio-economic mobility plays a vital role in 
societal progress. By examining mobility, researchers can gauge how individuals may 
ascend or descend along economic or social hierarchies, offering insights into the 
dynamics of opportunity within a society. Through three distinct studies, this thesis adds 
to this literature by investigating intergenerational educational mobility in Botswana. 
Specifically, the first study lays a foundation by examining the relationship between 
parental education and children's educational attainment, including an analysis of gender 
and regional differences. The second study investigates three-generational educational 
mobility by analysing how grandparents' education affects their grandchildren's 
educational achievements, while also evaluating the impact of grandparents co-residency 
and regional differences. Finally, the third study investigates the effects of parental 
participation in the destitution programme on children's educational attainment, analysing
variations across different policy periods and geographical locations.
The first study utilises data from the 2015 Botswana Multi-Topic Household Survey 
focusing on adult children aged 25-48 (linked to their parents education information), and 
employs intergenerational regression coefficients to measure educational persistence, 
alongside correlation coefficients and probability transition matrices to analyse
educational mobility. The second study uses primary data from 1986 individuals across 
273 families in nine locations in Botswana, targeting adult children aged 18-48, and 
similarly employs regression based analysis to measure educational persistence while 
examining gender and regional differences. The third study also utilises primary data from 
the same sample, focusing on the impact of parental participation in the destitution 
programme on children's educational outcomes, and its effects on intergenerational 
educational mobility
In the first study, a notable relationship between parental education and children's 
educational outcomes is identified, with an IGRC of 0.568 indicating substantial 
educational persistence. Gender disparities emerge, with daughters demonstrating a 
higher sensitivity to parental education than sons. The analysis highlights that educational 
persistence is stronger in rural areas compared to urban settings. For the second study, 
there is also significant intergenerational educational persistence between children and 
parents (IGRC of 0.579), consistent with other developing nations. Notably, grandparents' 
education has a positive influence on grandchildren's educational attainment, with an 
IGRC estimate of 0.179. 
Further, grandfathers have a greater influence on grandsons, while grandmothers 
positively affect granddaughters. Additionally, maternal education shows a stronger 
correlation with children's education than paternal education. The analysis reveals 
regional differences, with grandparents' education exerting a stronger influence in rural 
areas (0.197) compared to urban areas (0.135). The residency status of grandparents is 
crucial; co-resident grandparents significantly enhance grandchildren's educational 
outcomes, particularly for granddaughters. In the third study, participation in the 
destitution programme is found to be associated with lower educational attainment for 
children compared to children of non-destitutes parents, especially for those in rural 
areas. Together, these studies underscore the roles of family structure, gender, regional 
context, and socio-economic policies in shaping educational mobility, contributing 
valuable perspectives for educational and social policy in Botswana.
This research contributes by filing a research gap by addressing educational mobility in 
a Sub-Saharan African country’s varied urban and rural contexts, where limited research 
exists. By examining educational mobility across three generations using original data 
collected on both maternal and paternal grandparents, this research provides insights that 
are especially relevant in the African context, where extended families frequently live 
together. This research offers a unique perspective on multigenerational educational 
mobility, which is often overlooked in existing studies that primarily focus on two-generation analyses within developed countries. The third study provides a novel look at 
how a social protection programme, not designed for educational outcomes, may impact 
educational mobility in impoverished families.