Can education be a path to gender equality in the labour market? An update on Pakistan

This paper investigates some of the economic outcomes of education in Pakistan with a view to understanding if education can act as a vehicle for labour market success. Data from a purpose-designed survey of more than 1000 households in Pakistan are utilised. Earnings functions are estimated for agricultural workers, the self-employed and wage earners to estimate the returns to the 'quantity' and the 'quality' of schooling in different occupations, by gender. The paper also estimates the returns to knowing 'English' in the Pakistani labour market separately for men and women.