Intergenerational educational mobility in Bangladesh

Social mobility is considered as an important indicator of the economic development of a country. However, it varies widely across geographical regions and social groups in developing countries like Bangladesh. This paper intends to evaluate the intergenerational mobility in Bangladesh across generations.

This paper considers a nationally representative sample survey of 8,403 respondents (rural: 5,436 and urban: 2,967). The male and female respondents aged 23 years and above were included in the sample. The education attainment of a son or daughter as compared to their father's education level was considered as the measure of intergenerational mobility. Transition probability matrix and different social mobility indices were used to find out the intergenerational education mobility in Bangladesh.

The findings reveal that approximately three-fourth (74.5%) of the respondents attained formal education, while more than half (58.3%) of the respondents' father was illiterate. The educational status of the respondents and their father who lived in urban areas was relatively better than who lived in rural areas. It is also observed that 91.2% and 81.6% of the intergenerational class movement was upward among sons and daughters respectively. The probability of a higher educated father will have a higher educated child is higher in urban areas than in rural areas of Bangladesh. The intergenerational mobility is higher in the primary, secondary, and higher secondary educational levels, though the illiterate and higher education levels are the least mobile classes. In addition, the limiting probabilities reveal that the chance of sending sons to schools by an illiterate father is less as compared to their daughters. Such difference is more obvious in the urban areas, i.e., it is highly likely that sons of the illiterate father are also illiterate.

Bangladesh has been progressing remarkably in recent years. To keep the pace of the ongoing economic development in the country, it is necessary to give more attention to the illiterate people especially the girls who live in rural areas. The authors anticipate that the findings will be helpful for the policymakers as the relationship between inequality and intergenerational mobility is vital for several aspects of the economic development of a country.