We Have to Protect the Kids

Interruptions to the accumulation of human capital due to disasters and subsequent disruptions to economies and schooling can be severe, even when households receive compensation to tide them over in difficult times. Following a study of the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, a seemingly full recovery for adults and infrastructure, hid deep and lasting scars on children. The losses to human capital may well continue to accumulate further after children returned to school. In the example given of the earhtquake, children that fell behind were not able to catch up with the curriculum. The earthquake also widened inequalities as children whose mothers were more educated, were insulated from learning losses.