Evaluating the impact of vocational education vouchers on out-of-school youth in Kenya

This study by Hicks et al. assesses the impact of a vocational training programme on out-of-school Kenyan youth aged 17-28 years. Some of the youth received vouchers that could only be used at government-run educational institutions, while others received vouchers that could be used across public or private institutions. The study shows that voucher winners were substantially more likely to enrol in vocational educational institutions. There is some evidence that the programme increased the likelihood of wage employment among those who had been out of school longer. There is however limited evidence that the programme increased earnings.