Why children work, attend school, or stay idle: The roles of ability and household wealth

A study was conducted to show that child labor and schooling decisions are determined by child ability and household wealth jointly and significantly. The survey showed that poor households with high-ability children are more likely to send them to school than poor households with low-ability children, while low-income households may let their low-ability children remain idle rather than send them to work. Even within the same household premises, the low-ability child is more likely to be working or idle, while the high-ability child is apparently to be in full-time schooling. The analysis also found that children in families with a family business generally work while attending school at the same time. The study also suggests the introduction of policies that aim to reduce child labor and increase child schooling, and improve child ability through investments in nutrition and health of poor children, and in school quality.