Fiscal Implications of Free Education

Asim, Salman; Chugunov, Dmitry; Gera, Ravinder Madron Casley

doi:10.1596/31466

Cited by 4 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…African countries have historically operated a model of secondary education that enrolled a small share of the population-mostly from socioeconomically advantaged households-at comparatively high cost. Extending this model to the entire population is likely to be fiscally unsustainable, especially when considering the demographics and projected population growth rates in sub-Saharan Africa (Asim, Chugunov, and Gera 2019;Jayara, Upadhyay, and Patel 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In most cases, this will involve training and hiring more teachers, setting quality standards, and building new schools. To reduce travel time and prevent the need for expensive boarding options, new schools should preferable be day schools in underserved areas (Asim, Chugunov, and Gera 2019;World Bank 2008). Simultaneously, governments should seek to use existing infrastructure and human resources more efficiently.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Improving teacher deployment, reducing teacher absenteeism, and introducing double-shift teaching can expand effective capacity at little or no cost. Asim et al (2019) present a useful framework for modeling the fiscal implications of different policy options. In addition to extended public provision, governments could explore the potential of non-profit private and/or community-led approaches.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Secondary School Fee Abolition in Sub-Saharan Africa: Taking Stock of the Evidence

Gruijters¹,

Abango²,

Casely-Hayford³

2023

Preprint

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Several African countries have abolished secondary school fees in recent years, but there is no systematic evidence on the effectiveness of these initiatives. In this study, we take stock of free secondary education (FSE) initiatives in the region and review their impact on equitable access and the quality of teaching and learning, as well as their cost-effectiveness. We start by discussing the theoretical arguments for and against fee abolition. Second, we look at aggregate statistics on enrollment and transition rates, and find that primary school completion remains far from universal in most countries in the region, meaning that most low-income children are currently ineligible for free secondary education. Third, we provide a comprehensive overview of existing FSE policies in sub-Saharan Africa, showing that almost half of all countries in the region have abolished secondary school fees in the last two decades. Finally, we systemically review the empirical evidence on the impact and effectiveness of recent FSE initiatives. We conclude that free secondary education is an appropriate long-term goal for education systems but can be costly and inequitable in the short run, especially if it diverts resources from primary education. Our review suggests four concrete recommendations for policymakers, which are broadly aligned with the principle of ‘progressive universalism’ in improving access to education.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Secondary School Fee Abolition in Sub-Saharan Africa: Taking Stock of the Evidence

Gruijters¹,

Abango²,

Casely-Hayford³

2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…The government plans to phase out the PSLE and automatically promote students to lower secondary education in 2021. This policy is projected to increase enrolment in the first four years of secondary education by approximately 370,000 students in 2025 relative to continuing only with fee-free secondary education and no automatic progression (Asim, Chugunov, and Gera 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Eliminating Secondary School Fees: Evidence from Tanzania

Brandt¹,

Mkenda

2020

SSRN Journal

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In January 2016, Tanzania implemented a fee-free secondary school reform. Using variation in district and cohort exposure to the reform, we employ a difference-indifferences strategy to estimate the short-term impacts of the reform. Despite a relatively small drop in user costs, the reform substantially increased enrolment into secondary education. While these enrolment effects were predominantly driven by an increase in public school enrolment, there was also a delayed positive effect on private school enrolment. Districts most exposed to the reform experienced a significant drop in exam scores relative to less-exposed districts, which cannot be explained by academic abilities of new students. These findings are in line with a theoretical school choice model, where fee elimination loosens enrolment constraints, and increased enrolment harms the quality of public education. (JEL I21, I24, I28) * We wish to thank Youdi Schipper, Sam Jones, Thomas Markussen, Patricia Justino, and Lant Pritchett for providing excellent comments on the paper. Further thanks go to the National Examinations Council of Tanzania for providing public access to a large and useful database on student exam records.

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“…Magufuli's first years in office were dedicated to building political support by introducing popular social policies such as free education for children between the age of 8 and 12 and improved health services for the poor. 126 He also focused on improving the public service and curbing corruption while consolidating power at the helm of a weakened ruling political party. 127 His supporters have heralded this approach to investment policy and regulations under the Magufuli government as attempts to redefine and rebalance Tanzania's relationship with investors.…”

Section: Broken Promisesmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Developmental nationalism?’ Political trust and the politics of large-scale land investment in Magufuli's Tanzania

Nkobou

Ainslie

2021

Journal of Eastern African Studies

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Research on large-scale land investments (LSLIs) can provide valuable insights into the support for developmental nationalism in Tanzania today. 'Developmental nationalism' is 'a creative variant of liberation', which purports to make 'Tanzania great again'. The nationalist turn of late President Magufuli was grounded in political ideology and the selective history of the past that swept him to power. However, there is limited research on how political practice around land investments contribute to trust and support for public institutions. This paper makes two key contributions to scholarship on the political economy of LSLIs. First, we examine the messy politics of LSLIs, the failures in design and implementation, and the rise in local support for developmental nationalism in two rural settings in Tanzania. Second, using Latent Class Analysis (LCA), we identify distinct groups of individuals based on their trust in the President, the ruling party (CCM), the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) and support for LSLIs. We define political trust as 'an evaluative orientation towards an institution or government, based on people's normative expectations'.

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Fiscal Implications of Free Education

Cited by 4 publications

References 2 publications

Secondary School Fee Abolition in Sub-Saharan Africa: Taking Stock of the Evidence

Secondary School Fee Abolition in Sub-Saharan Africa: Taking Stock of the Evidence

The Impact of Eliminating Secondary School Fees: Evidence from Tanzania

‘Developmental nationalism?’ Political trust and the politics of large-scale land investment in Magufuli's Tanzania

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