Intergenerational Educational Mobility in Sri Lanka: Evidence and Implications

The policy implications of free education have been studied at length in economic literature as well as in development policy. In this context, the education system in Sri Lanka has long been considered a shining example in successfully expanding education opportunities and attaining high human development outcomes in a low-income developing country. An active policy debate on the role of free education in Sri Lanka has emerged in the last few years due to increasing unemployment rates, especially among the youth and the educated. Existing research on the economics of education in Sri Lanka has mostly overlooked the intergenerational mobility aspect of education, which would provide important insights on the effect of family background on education outcomes of children in the presence of free education. This book aims to fill this gap in research by an in-depth analysis of the effect of parental education on that of children, and by an examination of trends in education mobility over time. The analysis provides some important policy implications for education reform and planning, and would be a useful guide for academics, development practitioners and education professionals.