Guatemalan Unified Assistance and Resources for Development, Inspiration and Academic Navigation “GUARDIAN”

The research team aims to address the following pivotal questions as part of the study.
● What is the effect of the programs in the transition from primary to secondary level in sixth-grade students in Quiché?
● What is the effect of the programs on the allocation of time and child labor decisions of sixth-grade students and their families in Quiché?
● What is the effect of the programs on the migration decision of sixth-grade students and their families in Quiché?

These questions will allow us to understand the impact of our intervention in both the migration decisions and educational transition in the Quiche context. Additionally, and before answering the questions above, we will also need to address the following:

● What is the effect of the programs on the awareness about education returns among sixth-grade students in the study area?
● What is the effect of the programs on educational aspirations among sixth-grade students in the study area?
● What is the effect of the programs on learning outcomes of sixth-grade students in the study area?
● What is the effect of the programs on the awareness of human trafficking risks among sixth-grade students in the study area?
● What is the effect of the programs on the awareness of child labor risks among sixth-grade students in the study area?

To assess and compare the effects of the two interventions, we will conduct a clustered randomized controlled trial (RCT) across public schools in Quiché. Both interventions target children with the highest dropout rates in sixth grade, at the end of which they are transitioning from primary to secondary school. Schools will be randomized at the primary school catchment level. There are 231 schools in our experiment: 77 will receive the mentoring treatment, 77 will receive the informational campaign treatment, and another 77 will serve as the untreated control group. Each participating school will contribute approximately 10 participants, totaling roughly 1,500 treated students and caregivers. Schools are stratified based on their dropout rate from previous years and the number of enrolled sixth graders at baseline, with assignments within each stratum made via a simple lottery method.

The first treatment group will engage in a combined mentoring and informational program, having weekly in-class meetings for four months. This program aims to empower children by providing knowledge and support focused on personal and educational development. It also equips children and their families with the tools necessary to protect themselves from child labor and human trafficking while continuing their education.
The second treatment group will receive an informational program delivered through presentations and leaflets, echoing the themes of the mentoring program. This campaign includes specific sessions: one for parents, one for teachers, a joint session for parents and teachers, and two for the children. These sessions are designed to provide essential information to help children and families make informed decisions about their futures, protect against human trafficking, and choose safe employment options.

These interventions focus on three key communication objectives: motivating children to stay in school, empowering them to advocate for themselves, and boosting their confidence to succeed academically. They adapt strategies previously used in other low-income settings globally, drawing insights from studies like Archer, Boittin, and Hyunjung Mo (2016) in Nepal, and Edmonds, Feigenberg, and Leight (2021) in India.

2024-06-01

2024-11-30

School dropout

Child labor
Migration
Perceived returns to education
Educational aspirations
Learning outcomes
Awareness of child labor risks
Awareness of human trafficking risks
Student engagement and well-being

For this study, we select 231 schools in Quiché, Guatemala, based on (i) a minimum dropout rate in previous years of 35%, (ii) accessibility, and (iii) the exclusion of municipalities already involved in similar educational projects. Schools are then randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: (i) a combined mentoring and informational program with weekly meetings for four months before the end of the school year (ii) an information-only program for teachers, caregivers, and students totaling five sessions or (iii) a control group receiving no intervention at all.

In all schools, we conduct a baseline survey before the interventions (wave 1), a midline survey immediately after the interventions at the end of the school year (wave 2), and an endline survey six months later, around the beginning of the new school year (wave 3).

The survey is conducted with all sixth graders of the respective schools and lasts about 30-40 minutes. It covers questions about (i) school dropout and educational aspirations (ii) perceived returns to education (iii) child labor and allocation of the child's time (iv) migration and migrational intentions (v) awareness of child labor and human trafficking risks and (vi) socio-demographic background (only baseline). The baseline and midline surveys are conducted in school, whereas the endline survey is conducted in the child's home to avoid high attrition.

Not available

Randomization is conducted by the research team using the software R. Randomization is stratified by (1) droupout rate from previous years (5 bins), specifically the mean of dropout in the latest available year 2021 and of average dropout in 2013-2021 and (2) the number of enrolled sixth graders at baseline (3 bins). We add an extra stratum of 15 schools post-randomization to increase power and make up for 9 schools lost post-randomization due to logistical difficulties. Assignments within each stratum is made via a simple lottery method.

School

Yes

231, with 77 clusters for each group (control and two treatments)

2310 (aprox 10 children per school)

77 schools for each group (control and two treatments)