Innovative Finance
August 1, 2024
Context and Issue
Free Primary Education in Sub-Saharan Africa
In the past decade, several countries in sub-Saharan Africa have typically abolished primary school tuition fees as part of renewed attempts to resurrect their education systems, which have declined and even suffered reduced enrollment after the initial growth following independence. Whereas in the eighties and early to mid-nineties, cost-sharing had been a policy promoted by international financial institutions such as the World Bank, the direct (and indirect) costs to parents of their children’s education became obstacles to their attendance and continued enrolment. The inability of parents to afford such costs fell on girls disproportionately, typically being the first to be pulled out or allowed to drop out of school.
Solution
Free primary education was made possible through government administration and support from international organizations.
Impact
For instance, some evidence of Free education programs could be explored through the program's impact in Malawi, where in the first year of FPE, enrolments increased by over 50% from 1.9m in 1993/4 to about 3.2m in 1994/5. Net enrolments before FPE had been 58% for girls, increasing to 73% by 1996, and 58% for boys, but only increasing to 68% by 1996. Gross enrolments increased from 67.9% in 1990/1 to 158.1% in 1999/2000. Male and female gross enrollment rates were comparable in 1999/2000: at 157.9 and 158.3%, respectively. These are some historical trends. Click here for more experiences of the free primary education.