Policy Briefs
The Impact of the Syrian Refugee Influx on the Education and Housing Outcomes of Jordanians
No.
33
Date
May, 2018
Topic
J. Labor and Demographic Economics
In a nutshell
- Jordan was on a path of improving educational outcomes and improved housing quality prior to the onset of the Syrian refugee crisis and continued on that path since then.
- Jordanian education authorities accommodated the influx of Syrian students primarily by adding a second shift to existing schools, but those newly added second shifts were primarily for Syrian students.
- Measures of school crowding for Jordanian students were essentially unaffected in areas with high proportions of Syrian students.
- Out of 12 school outcomes, only one appears to be negatively affected by the influx of Syrian refugees, suggesting that the adverse effects on education of Jordanians were limited.
- The housing quality of poorer Jordanian households in areas exposed to the Syrian refugee influx improved less rapidly than that of their counterparts elsewhere in Jordan, suggesting some negative impact on groups directly competing with refugees for housing.
- We recommend targeting poorer Jordanian households in affected areas with rent subsidies and low-interest mortgages to mitigate these adverse effects on them.
Research Fellows
Ragui Assaad
Professor and Freeman Chair for International Economic...