Abstract
This study empirically assesses the relationship between mothers’
education and child health using continuous and binary proxies of
child health outcomes. A panel, using four waves of the National
Income Dynamic Study and a battery of estimation techniques,
was employed. The results suggest that maternal education plays
a large and significant role in explaining child health outcomes in
South Africa. Our results also suggest that maternal education is
relevant in respect to stunted growth (stunting). However, the
effects of maternal education vary along races, implying levels of
inequality. The effects are stronger in the black and coloured
populations, possibly due to educational deficits. This suggests a
need in improving the educational opportunities for these groups.
We suggest that maternal education can significantly contribute
to reducing the high degree of inequality in South Africa.