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Highlights • There has been substantial growth in private schools in developing countries, accompanied by increasing choice and mobility. • A number of factors determine school mobility, and consequences for educational outcomes of such mobility are ambiguous. • We find that transferring during lower primary leads to a poorer resourced school, but transferring during upper primary a higher resourced school. • Transfers during lower primary are associated with falling behind, while those in upper primary with getting ahead and improved basic test scores. Abstract With hundreds of primary schools to choose from, young adolescent girls in Nairobi’s urban informal settlements commonly transfer schools. We qualitatively investigate the causes and quantitatively investigate the consequences of such mobility. Key reasons for transferring schools include difficulty in paying fees and anticipated net benefits from a different school. Transferring during lower primary leads to a poorer resourced school, while transferring during upper primary a higher resourced school. Correspondingly, transfers during lower primary are associated with falling behind, while in upper primary with getting ahead, as well as with improved basic reading and math test scores.

an: 131732192; source: International Journal of Educational Development; docTypes: Article; pubTypes: Academic Journal;