¿Educación o desintegración? Parental migration, remittances and left-behind children's education in western Guatemala.

A growing body of literature addresses the positive impacts of international migration and remittances on children's education. This paper offers a nuanced, qualitative view that addresses the positive remittance-related benefits to children's education and the negative repercussions of parental absences on children's relationships with schooling from the perspectives of parents and local educators. A case study approach including field interviews of parents, teachers and school administrators from five western Guatemalan communities was used. Findings suggest that remittances improve basic living conditions, allowing many children to access a more comfortable and substantive education. However, parental absences can disrupt the educational opportunities for others.