The role of status hierarchies and resource allocation on education attainment of Papua New Guinea oil palm smallholders

Abstract

This thesis examines resource allocation among co-resident households in three oil palm growing regions of Papua New Guinea to better understand status hierarchies that control investment in education. The results show not all families co-resident on the smallholder blocks participate equally in oil palm production, resulting in unequal education attainment amongst households, as smallholders increasingly pursue individual income strategies. These findings are significant given that education attainment is a critical development outcome.