School electrification and academic outcomes in rural Kenya

Between 2014 and 2016, the number of primary schools with electricity rose from 56% to 94%. Schools in proximity to the grid network were connected to grid electricity, while those located further away received solar photovoltaics. Using this rapid electrification expansion as a source of identifying variation in a panel fixed effects model, the paper estimates the impact on school test scores, enrollment, and completion. Additionally, the paper attempts to quantify the effects of lighting on education performance by relying on the off-grid (solar) electricity coefficients. Using a universe of 8th grade students in public schools in Kenya, the paper finds no evidence that electricity affects test scores or enrollment in the short run. However, off-grid electrification increases completion by 1%. Using off-grid estimates, the paper concludes that lighting has a small positive impact on completion but not on test scores or enrollment. This is an extremely short-term evaluation and in the longrun electrification may have larger impacts.