Factors influencing household expenditure on education: a case study of western Uganda

Abstract

The overall target of this study was to assess the determinants of household expenditure on education in Western Uganda using UNHS data 2016 collected by UBOS. It specifically looked at the relationship between demographic factors, socio-economic status of a family and household expenditure on education. The study findings indicated that education level of a household head has a significant relationship with household expenditure on education (p-value<0.05) and household expenditure on education increases as one’s level of education rises, stability of income has a significant relationship with household expenditure on education (p-value<0.05) and there was no long run relationship between stability of income and household expenditure on education, age of household head has a significant relationship with the household expenditure on education (p-value<0.05) and as age of the household head increases, household expenditure on education also increases. Findings also indicated that number of children in a household has a significant relationship with the amount of household expenditure on education (p-value<0.05) and households with many children were spending much on education as compared to those families with few children, gender of household head has a significant relationship with household expenditure on education (p-value<0.05) and male headed families are likely to spend more money than for female headed families. The study recommended that that younger household heads should adopt saving culture so as they can prepare for future expenditure on education of children, household heads should be encouraged to invest much in their children’s education and secure their future and that the government should subsidize on school fees for female headed households so as to increase access to quality education by children.