| dc.description.abstract | Achieving gender equality in education is widely recognized as essential for driving
sustainable economic development, with public expenditure playing a pivotal role in fostering
such equality. Understanding the interplay between these factors can inform policies to promote
inclusive growth. This study aims to explore the relationship between gender equality in
education, public expenditure on education and economic growth in Bangladesh from 1995 to
2022, using the ARDL model in two parts: first, it investigates the impact of gender equality, as
reflected by female secondary school enrollment, on economic growth in Bangladesh in both
short and long run; second, it evaluates the short and long-run dynamics of public expenditure on
education in promoting gender equality in education. Results reveal that in the long run, a 1%
increase in female secondary enrollment is associated with a 10.72% decrease in GDP per capita.
This might be attributed to low workforce participation among educated women, societal norms,
and job market mismatches. Conversely, public education expenditure significantly affects
gender equality in education, with a 1% increase in expenditure leading to a 0.1048% increase in
female enrollment. Short-term results indicate that changes in female enrollment do not
significantly influence GDP per capita. At the same time, public education spending continues to
positively impact female enrollment by 0.067% per 1% increase in spending. The findings of this
study have important implications for shaping education and economic policymaking within the
country. It suggests that the government should prioritize policies that enhance workforce
participation among women, challenge restrictive societal norms, and better align education with
labor market demands to achieve meaningful economic growth. Furthermore, the study
emphasizes the need for gender-responsive budgeting, infrastructure development, and
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curriculum reforms as essential measures to maximize the impact of education on sustainable
economic growth and social progress. | en_US |
