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Discussion Paper Details

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Title: Financial Education and Access to Savings Accounts: Complements or Substitutes? Evidence from Ugandan Youth Clubs

Author(s): Julian C. Jamison, Dean S. Karlan and Jonathan Zinman

Publication Date: May 2014

Keyword(s): financial access, financial education, financial literacy, microsaving, savings and youth savings

Programme Area(s): Development Economics, Financial Economics and Labour Economics

Abstract: Evidence on the effectiveness of financial education and formal savings account access is lacking, particularly for youth. We randomly assign 250 youth clubs to receive either financial education, access to a cheap group account, or both. The financial education treatments increase financial literacy; the account-only treatment does not. Administrative data shows the education plus account treatment increases bank savings relative to account-only. But survey-measured total savings shows roughly equal increases across all treatment arms. Earned income also increases in all treatment arms. We find little evidence that education and account access are strong complements, and some evidence they are substitutes.

For full details and related downloads, please visit: https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=9979

Bibliographic Reference

Jamison, J, Karlan, D and Zinman, J. 2014. 'Financial Education and Access to Savings Accounts: Complements or Substitutes? Evidence from Ugandan Youth Clubs'. London, Centre for Economic Policy Research. https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=9979