The effects of cost elimination on secondary school enrolment in Sub-Saharan Africa

(De)centralisation in fee-free policymaking process: Comparative review of Progressive Free Senior High and Free Senior High School policies in Ghana

“…This is because these two cost components are demonstrated to be the major cost barriers to school access (Bray, 2007). Parents may still not be able to afford the other direct cost even after absorbing some costs of education due to the high rate of poverty; a speculation supported by Asante (2022) and Branson and Lam (2017). FSHS, on the other hand, responded to the existing problem by reducing the proportion of students who are placed in SHS but could not enrol.…”

“…Studies on fee-free education policies and their impact on access are also inconclusive. While some argue that fee-free policies increase school enrolment (Asante, 2022;Blimpo et al, 2019;Duflo et al, 2017;Garlick, 2013;Morgan et al, 2014), others contend that such policies have no significant positive effect on enrolment (Branson and Lam, 2017;Ponce and Loayza, 2012). A major weakness in the foregoing debate is the limited attention paid to how different forms of fee-free policies may have different impacts on enrolment.…”

Agenda to adoption: understanding the mechanisms driving fee-free policy development in Sub-Saharan Africa through policy change frameworks

“…Different categories of cost elimination policies can be identified among countries in SSA in terms of scope and coverage. On scope, one, the policy may eliminate all direct costs of schooling, other school supplies, and ancillary costs (Asante, 2022). For example, Free Senior High School Policy in Ghana (Abdul-Rahaman et al, 2018).…”

“…On coverage, one, the policy may have a national geographical character. And two, the policy may be through targeting or phasing in approach by region or grade/age level or limited to some selected deprived geographical areas, vulnerable students, or for a specific gender (Asante, 2022). Examples include No-Fee Policy in South Africa and Girls' Scholarship Programme in The Gambia (Blimpo et al, 2019;Branson & Lam, 2017).…”

“…Meanwhile, the rate of upper secondary school participation is identified to be a key determinant of political participation, a necessary precursor for democratic and institutional quality and has the positive externality of reducing crime in the region (Asante & Bartha, 2022;Shuaibu & Oladayo, 2016;Wantchekon et al, 2015). Notwithstanding, it is argued that the rate of upper secondary education can be increased in SSA through government demand-side interventions by reducing or eliminating the direct cost of schooling called cost elimination policies popularly called fee-free education (Asante, 2022). Cost elimination policies are access-oriented policies designed to offer free education to children and the youth at different levels of education (World Bank & United Nations Children's Fund [UNICEF], 2009, p. 1).…”