Numeracy and education in Chile 1860-1940 cohorts

Abstract

The study of human capital development is an important although complex task as it has a multidimensional nature but also because data is not as systematically available as researchers would hope so. Literacy is the most used historic variable to proxy for human capital, nevertheless, in the last decade or so the study of numeracy has gained strength trough the development of the Age heaping Technique. In this thesis we link the upwards trend in numeracy experienced by the 1860-1950 Chilean cohorts to the expansion of public primary education triggered by the primary instruction law of 1860. We find a strong and significant correlation between educational coverage and numeracy. Also, the effect is stronger for females, coherent with the fast expansion of schooling in this sub group.