Data and Code for: Age at School Entry and Human Capital Development: Evidence from Lesotho

Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s) Jan-Walter De Neve, San Diego State University and University of Heildelberg; Ramaele Moshoeshoe, National University of Lesotho and Global Education Analytics Institute; Jacob Bor, Boston University

Version: View help for Version V1

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Project Citation:

De Neve, Jan-Walter, Moshoeshoe, Ramaele, and Bor, Jacob. Data and Code for: Age at School Entry and Human Capital Development: Evidence from Lesotho. Nashville, TN: American Economic Association [publisher], 2026. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2026-03-03. https://doi.org/10.3886/E217581V1

Project Description

Summary: There is scant evidence on the impact of school-entry age in lower-income countries. We assess the impact of school starting age on human capital development in Lesotho, exploiting an enrollment age threshold. Children who defer primary school by one year overcome initial skill deficits as they progress through school. They are more likely to stay in school, spend fewer hours on economic and household activities, and obtain substantially higher total years of schooling. In adulthood, they are more likely to have professional occupations and less likely to be married or have children as teenagers, become HIV-infected (men), and experience the death of a child (women).

Scope of Project

Subject Terms: School-entry age; relative age for grade; human capital; sub-Saharan Africa

JEL Classification:
      I15 Health and Economic Development
      I25 Education and Economic Development
      I26 Returns to Education
      J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
      O15 Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

Geographic Coverage: Africa, Lesotho, South Africa

Time Period(s): 2000 – 2018 (2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2018 )

Collection Date(s): 2000 – 2018 (2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2018 )

Universe: All individuals (all ages) in Lesotho MICS 2018;
All children aged 5-17 in Lesotho MICS 2018;
All individuals (all ages) in the Lesotho 2006 Census (10% sample);
All women aged 15-49 in the 2004-2014 Lesotho DHS;
All men aged 15-59 in the 2004-2014 Lesotho DHS;
All grade 6 children aged 10-27 in the 2000 and 2007 Lesotho SACMEQ data;
All individuals (all ages) in the 2001 and 2011 South African Censuses;
All individuals (all ages) in the 2016 South Africa Community Survey

Data Type(s): administrative records data; census/enumeration data; program source code; survey data

Methodology

Data Source: Bureau of Statistics (2019);
IPUMS, Minnesota Population Center (2019);
ICF (2017);
SACMEQ (2002, 2007);

Unit(s) of Observation: Individuals and households.

Related Publications

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Published Versions

V1 [2026-03-03]

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DDI 2.5

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