Publication: Can Scholarships Help Keep Kids in School?
Date
2013-02
ISSN
Published
2013-02
Author(s)
World Bank
Abstract
Cambodia has had numerous scholarship
programs funded by the government and outside donors. A
government program supported by the World Bank's
Cambodia Education Sector Support Project was launched to
test the optimal scholarship amount and measure the effect
on both boys and girls. The program targeted 100 lower
secondary (middle) schools that were not participating in
other scholarship programs, focusing on those in poor areas
and where non-enrollment was high. The scholarships had a
substantial effect on student enrollment and attendance in
7th and 8th grades. More girls than boys received grants
because they ranked higher for the risk of dropping out. The
Cambodia study shows that scholarships can be an effective
tool for encouraging students to stay in school after
completing primary school-even in a low income setting. Boys
and girls can benefit equally and that encouraging greater
school attendance does not mean that the student's
siblings will be expected by their families to make up the
lost household or outside work time. Success depends on
finding the optimal way to support children who might
otherwise drop-out, both in terms of encouraging enrollment
and ensuring that once in school, they can learn.
Citation
“World Bank. 2013. Can Scholarships Help Keep Kids in School?. From evidence to policy;. © World Bank, Washington DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/17035 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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