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Reproducibility package for Never Too Young to Dream Big: Measuring youth aspirations in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic

2024
Get Reproducibility Package
Reference ID
RR_SSA_2024_95
DOI
https://doi.org/10.60572/k366-ev25
Author(s)
Valentina Costa, Ivette Contreras, Amparo Palacios-Lopez
Collections
World Bank Policy Research Working Papers
Metadata
JSON
Created on
Apr 08, 2024
Last modified
May 15, 2025
  • Overview
  • Reproducibility Package
  • Description
  • Scope and coverage
  • Disclaimer
  • Access and rights
  • Contacts
  • Information on metadata
  • Citation

    • Overview

    Abstract

    This study explores the factors shaping the aspirations of youths in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Malawi, specifically focusing on their academic goals, STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) career interests, and migration intentions. This study draws on a robust dataset comprising 2,725 youth respondents aged 15-25 years, collected through high-frequency phone surveys (HFPS) conducted as part of the World Bank's Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS). Exploring the aspirations of youths in Sub-Saharan Africa is crucial, particularly given that by 2050, half of the region's population is expected to be under 25 years old. Our findings highlight significant gender and age disparities across youths, with female youths aged 15-18 showing higher educational aspirations than their male peers. However, their aspirations decline and become lower than those of male youths when they reach 19-25 years old. Conversely, male youths aged 15-18 and 19-25 report higher career and migration aspirations than their female peers. Additionally, educational background emerges as a pivotal factor influencing aspirations. The analysis shows that youths without formal educational degrees are less inclined to aspire to higher educational, career aspirations or to migrate. Moreover, family and community role models, along with individual attitudes, may contribute to shaping the aspirations of youths in these three countries. In conclusion, building upon our findings, this paper formulates a comprehensive set of policy recommendations. These recommendations aim to align the skills and aspirations of youths with the prevailing labor market opportunities, ultimately working towards the reduction of youth unemployment and underemployment rates across these countries.

    Reproducibility Package

    Scripts
    Get Reproducibility Package
    Title
    Reproducibility package for Never Too Young to Dream Big: Measuring youth aspirations in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic
    Date
    2024-04
    Dependencies
    estout, tabstatmat, outreg2. All dependency files are included in the folder Dofiles/ado of the reproducibility package.
    Instructions
    See README in reproducibility package.
    Notes
    Computational reproducibility verified by Development Impact (DIME) Analytics team, World Bank.
    Source code repository
    Repository name URI
    Reproducible Research Repository (World Bank) https://reproducibility.worldbank.org
    Software
    Name
    Stata
    Version
    17

    Reproducibility

    Technology environment

    Paper exhibits were reproduced on two computers with the following specifications:
    – Computer 1:

    • OS: Windows 11 Enterprise
    • Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-1145G7 CPU @ 2.60GHz
    • Memory available: 15.7 GB
    • Software version: Stata 18
      – Computer 2:
    • OS: Windows 10 Enterprise
    • Processor: Intel(R) Xeon(R) Gold 6132 CPU @ 2.60GHz 2.60 GHz (2 processors)
    • Memory available: 128 GB
    • Software version: StataMP 18
    Technology requirements

    Runtime: 10 minutes

    Data

    Datasets
    Name
    Ethiopia Socioeconomic Survey 2018-2019
    Note
    The Ethiopia Socioeconomic Survey (ESS) is a collaborative project between the Central Statistics Agency of Ethiopia (CSA) and the World Bank Living Standards Measurement Study-Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA) team. The objective of the LSMS-ISA is to collect multi-topic, household-level panel data with a special focus on improving agriculture statistics and generating a clearer understanding of the link between agriculture and other sectors of the economy. The project also aims to build capacity, share knowledge across countries, and improve survey methodologies and technology. Data files used: cons_agg_w4.dta, sect_cover_hh_w4.dta, sect1_hh_w4.dta, sect2_hh_w4.dta, sect4_hh_w4.dta
    Access policy
    Dataset is public but not included in the package. Data can be downloaded in the data URL.
    Data URL
    https://doi.org/10.48529/k739-c548
    Name
    Malawi Integrated Household Panel Survey 2010-2013-2016-2019 (Long-Term Panel)
    Note
    The Integrated Household Panel Survey (IHPS) was launched in April 2016 as part of the Malawi Fourth Integrated Household Survey fieldwork operation. The IHPS contains individual-disaggregated household survey data on 1) ownership of and rights to selected physical and financial assets, 2) work and employment, and 3) entrepreneurship. Data files used: hh_mod_a_filt_19.dta, hh_mod_b_19.dta, hh_mod_c_19.dta, hh_mod_e_19.dta
    Access policy
    Dataset is public but not included in the package. Data can be downloaded in the data URL.
    Data URL
    https://doi.org/10.48529/q5q1-2a34
    Name
    Malawi Integrated Household Panel Survey 2010-2013 (Short-Term Panel)
    Note
    The Integrated Household Survey (IHS) is one of the primary instruments implemented by the Government of Malawi through the National Statistical Office (NSO) roughly every 5 years to monitor and evaluate the changing conditions of Malawian households. The IHS data have, among other insights, provided benchmark poverty and vulnerability indicators to foster evidence-based policy formulation. Data files used: Round 2 (2013) Consumption Aggregate.dta
    Name
    Nigeria General Household Survey, Panel 2018-2019, Wave 4
    Note
    The General Household Survey-Panel (GHS-Panel) is implemented in collaboration with the World Bank Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) team as part of the Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (ISA) program. The objectives of the GHS-Panel include the development of an innovative model for collecting agricultural data, interinstitutional collaboration, and comprehensive analysis of welfare indicators and socio-economic characteristics. The GHS-Panel is a nationally representative survey of approximately 5,000 households, which are also representative of the six geopolitical zones. Data files used: sect1_harvestw4.dta, sect1_plantingw4.dta, sect2_harvestw4.dta, sect3_plantingw4.dta, sect3a_harvestw4.dta, secta_harvestw4.dta, secta_plantingw4.dta, totcons_final.dta
    Access policy
    Dataset is public but not included in the package. Data can be downloaded in the data URL.
    Data URL
    https://doi.org/10.48529/1hgw-dq47
    Name
    Ethiopia High Frequency Phone Survey 2020-2023
    Note
    Ethiopia HFPS data covers knowledge of COVID and mitigation measures, access to routine healthcare, access to educational activities during school closures, employment dynamics, household income and livelihood, income loss and coping strategies, and external assistance. Data files used: r1_wb_lsms_hfpm_hh_survey_public_microdata.dta, r12_wb_lsms_hfpm_hh_survey_public_microdata.dta, wb_lsms_hfpm_hh_survey_roster_round12_clean_public.dta
    Access policy
    Dataset is public but not included in the package. Data can be downloaded in the data URL.
    Data URL
    https://doi.org/10.48529/apmn-jq08
    Name
    Malawi High-Frequency Phone Survey 2020-2024
    Note
    The Malawi High-Frequency Phone Survey (HFPS) is implemented by the National Statistical Office (NSO). The survey is part of a World Bank-supported global effort to support countries in their data collection efforts to monitor the impacts of COVID-19. The objective of HFPS is for routine monitoring and understanding the impacts of shocks including the COVID-19 pandemic. Data files used: asset_index_panel_2019.dta, sect2_Household_Roster_r10.dta, sect5f_Aspirations_r10.dta, sect6c_otherincome_r5.dta, secta_Cover_Page_r10.dta
    Access policy
    Dataset is public but not included in the package. Data can be downloaded in the data URL.
    Data URL
    https://doi.org/10.48529/e42j-0t37
    Name
    Nigeria COVID-19 National Longitudinal Phone Survey 2020-2021
    Note
    The objective of Nigeria COVID-19 NLPS is to monitor the socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Households were asked a set of core questions on the key channels through which individuals and households are expected to be affected by the COVID-19-related restrictions: food security, employment, access to basic services, coping strategies, and non-labour sources of income. Data files: r1_sect_7.dta, r12_sect_2.dta, r12_sect_5e_9a.dta, r12_sect_a_12.dta
    Access policy
    Dataset is public but not included in the package. Data can be downloaded in the data URL.
    Data URL
    https://doi.org/10.48529/xeym-xv94
    Data statement

    All data used for this reproducibility package are public but not included in the reproducibility package. See dataset information or the README for data access.

    Description

    Output
    Type
    Working paper
    Title
    Never Too Young to Dream Big: Measuring youth aspirations in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic
    Description
    Policy Research Working Paper (PRWP) WPS10816
    URL
    http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/099526406242424699
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.1596/1813-9450-10816
    Authors
    Author Affiliation Email
    Valentina Costa World Bank vcosta@worldbank.org
    Ivette Contreras World Bank icontreras@worldbank.org
    Amparo Palacios-Lopez World Bank apalacioslopez@worldbank.org
    Date of production

    2024-04

    Scope and coverage

    Geographic locations
    Location Code
    Ethiopia ETH
    Nigeria NGA
    Malawi MWI
    Keywords
    youth aspirations education employment migration COVID-19 Sub-Saharan Africa

    Disclaimer

    Disclaimer

    The materials in the reproducibility packages are distributed as they were prepared by the staff of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this event do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank, the Executive Directors of the World Bank, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the materials included in the reproducibility package.

    Access and rights

    License
    Name URI
    Modified BSD3 https://opensource.org/license/bsd-3-clause/

    Contacts

    Contacts
    Name Affiliation Email
    Valentina Costa World Bank vcosta@worldbank.org
    Reproducibility WBG World Bank reproducibility@worldbank.org

    Information on metadata

    Producers
    Name Abbreviation Affiliation Role
    Reproducibility WBG DIME World Bank - Development Impact Department Verification and preparation of metadata
    Date of Production

    2024-04-04
    Document version

    1

    Citation

    Citation
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