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Abstract

This study employs longitudinal data to examine the self-reported grades in Science, English, and Mathematics, of Ghanaian boys and girls whose parents have migrated internally or internationally. Using a fixed-effects modeling approach, the analysis draws on information collected from 755 secondary school students surveyed as a panel in 2013, 2014, and 2015. The results show that boys with one or both parents away internationally tend to achieve grades equal to or higher than boys with non-migrant parents. In contrast, girls from migrant families generally exhibit no significant differences in grades when compared with girls with non-migrant parents. A critical risk factor identified is the negative impact of parental divorce or separation on the measured educational outcomes of children in migrant families.

Keywords

Education gender Ghana transnational families children left-behind

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