6533b7d9fe1ef96bd126c91f

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Educational costing and financing in developing countries : focus on Sub-saharan Africa

subject

description

The paper analyzes issues in the costs and financing of education in developing countries. It focuses primarily on Sub-Saharan Africa, and within that on francophone west africa. After evaluating the educational cost data used in internationale comparisons, the paper focuses on the special situation of African Countries, most of which experience severe financial constraints in their effort to achieve educational goals. It examines the potential for, first, reducing unit costs as a way of increasing enrollment within an existing budget, and second, tapping private resources of financing for education. The overall conclusion is that although the financial prospects are rather bleak in the poorest countries, existing budgets could be used much more efficiently than at present. Units costs can often be significantly reduced, and some changes in the pattern of subsidies to education may allow for a sizeable expansion of education within existing budgets.