Gains from Off-Grid School Electrification in Rural Areas

Abstract

We analyze the program Lights to Learn lead by the ``Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura" (OEI), in Uruguay. This program installed solar panels in unelectrified and isolated rural schools, training schools on the usage and maintenance of the panels, provided schools with internet connectivity and a laptop. Using a difference-in-difference approach we study the effects of electrifying rural schools on students’ enrollment, attendance, repetition, dropout, class size, and multi-grade at pre-schools and elementary levels. We find that on average, the electrification increased enrollment by 1.7 students per school. This increase in enrollment is driven by male students. Moreover, we find and increase in the rate of very low and very high attendance. No effect was found in repetition or dropout.