Neighbourhood effects on children’s educational opportunities: insights from Bangladesh, India and Tanzania

The neighbourhoods where urban children grow up and attend school have powerful effects on their educational experiences and outcomes. This policy brief focuses on the effect that neighbourhoods have on the educational opportunities of children living in rapidly growing cities in Bangladesh, India and Tanzania. It analyses the following aspects of formal education: (a) availability of different types of schools (e.g., public and non-state) at different levels, (b) quality and availability of facilities and services, (c) physical accessibility of schools, and (d) financial support. Research was conducted in neighbourhoods of different income levels in two cities in each country, drawing on education data sets from local and national levels, informal interviews, and systematic mapping of the built environment and service provision in each neighbourhood. The brief offers key recommendations for policy-makers, international organisations, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and researchers.