Violent Conflicts and Education: The LRA Insurgency in Northern Uganda Revisited

I investigate the impact of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency on educational outcomes in Northern Uganda, using a Difference–in–Differences (DiD) model that leverages variations in conflict intensity across birth cohorts and geographic locations. The results show that individuals exposed to the conflict experience declines in completed years of schooling, primary school completion, and literacy, with varying effects by gender and place of residence. The study also explores supply and demand mechanisms, finding that reduced school construction and repairs, overcrowding, and increased studen–teacher ratios due to displacement exacerbate these educational setbacks. These mechanisms are crucial for understanding war’s broader impact on households, communities, and social services. • I measure the impact of the LRA insurgency on education in Northern Uganda. • Insurgency exposure reduces schooling years, primary school completion, and literacy. • These negative effects vary by gender and location, affecting some groups more. • Displacement worsens education through degraded infrastructure, overcrowding, and high student–teacher ratios. • Understanding these factors clarifies broader impacts on households and social services.