CEU eTD Collection (2025); Smadil, Aiym: What is the Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Early Childhood Development in Kazakhstan?

CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2025
Author Smadil, Aiym
Title What is the Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Early Childhood Development in Kazakhstan?
Summary In this thesis, I examine the relationship between socioeconomic status and early childhood development, using data on children aged 3 or 4 from the 2015 “Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey in Kazakhstan (MICS).” Specifically, my focus is on the relationship between indicators of socioeconomic status (mother’s higher education, wealth of a family, the presence of books at home, reading to a child and attendance of childcare) and early childhood development.” I use Ordinary
Least Squares regression and Linear Probability Model as the dependent variable is binary indicating the development of a child. My results indicate that a mother’s education is positively associated with early childhood development, however, it loses its significance once other measures of socioeconomic status are included. Wealth of a family, the presence of books at home, reading to a child, and attendance of childcare facility remain significantly positively associated with early childhood development even after controlling for other factors, such as mother’s age, abortion, whether the child was left alone without adults’ supervision, and urban or rural area.
Lastly, I recommend policies involving investment in the home learning environment, support for parents, quality assurance in early childhood education, and improved data systems.
Supervisor Molnar, Timea Laura
Department Economics MA
Full texthttps://www.etd.ceu.edu/2025/smadil_aiym.pdf

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