Modelling the choice of Vietnamese adolescents between school and work

Abstract

Based on the Vietnamese Household Living Standard Survey (VHLSS) 2014, the factors of participation in education and/or labour market of Vietnamese adolescents in the age range 11 to 18 is studied. Children working too much, in particular at age 11 to 15, are actually in child labour, and also older adolescents may compromise their future due to sacrificing education for work. Many children in developing countries combine school and work and, in addition, the category inactive or ‘not in education, employment or training’ must be taken into account. Hence, the choice between four possible outcomes, school only, combining school and work, work only and inactivity, is analysed by a comprehensive discrete choice model. The conceptual model for our analysis considers, in addition to classical personal and household factors, also ethnicity, region, urbanicity and seven public development programmes. These factors are particularly important for the development policy of Vietnam. The complex design of the VHLSS needs proper weighting and adaptation of methods. Gender, age, income and the education of adults in the household have a strong impact on the choice. Ethnicity, urbanicity and regional disparities are relevant, too, but only two development programmes have a significant impact.