Improving learning by improving vision: evidence from two randomized controlled trials of providing vision care in China. Issue 1 (2nd January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ma, Xiaochen; Wang, Huan; Shi, Yaojiang; Sylvia, Sean; Wang, Lei; Qian, Yiwei; Rozelle, Scott
• Is Part Of: Journal of development effectiveness. Volume 13:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 26
• Publication Date: 2021-01-02
• Subjects: Field Experiment -- health Intervention -- educational Economics; C93 -- I12 -- I21 -- O15; Economic development -- Periodicals; Developing countries -- Economic conditions -- Periodicals; Economic development; Economic history; Developing countries; Periodicals; 338.91724
• DOI: 10.1080/19439342.2021.1876139
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1943-9342

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper examines the external validity of health intervention by comparing the impacts of providing free eyeglasses on the educational performance of nearsighted children in two settings: rural public schools in Western China and urban private migrant schools in Eastern China. The intervention significantly improves educational outcomes by 0.14 standard deviations in math in rural public schools but not in private migrant schools. The difference in measured impacts is due in part to lower quality schooling in migrant schools in Eastern China. Our findings show that only when school is providing a quality education, health interventions might increase student learnings.