Schooling in Benin: How Education Policies Affect Families

In rural Benin, a study looked at how education policies impact the schooling decisions of parents. The research found that when parents have a better education, they're much more likely to send their daughters to school. Specifically, 76% of educated parents chose to educate their daughters, compared to only 37% of parents who didn't have an education. When the government introduced a tuition fee subsidy, it had a bigger effect on families who weren't educated. Non-educated households saw a 3. 8% increase in school enrollment, while educated households only saw a 0.

27% increase. But when the education program was less effective, both educated and non-educated families made bigger changes in their decisions. The study also found that the financial benefit of education policies depends on the income and preference of the families. If educated families have a big income advantage, non-educated families respond more to the policies. But if the advantage isn't so big, educated families make more changes.

Actions