Cost analysis in nonformal education, a state of the arts paper

WITH NFE PROGRAMS GAINING PROMINENCE IN NATIONAL AND REGIONAL EDUCATION SCHEMES, GOVERNING BODIES, PLANNERS, AND ADMINISTRATORS NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE COSTS AND RESULTS OF SUCH PROGRAMS. THIS PAPER DISCUSSES MAJOR DOCUMENTS CONCERNING THE COSTS OF NON-FORMAL EDUCATION, INCLUDING ISSUES OF ESTIMATING COSTS AND ISSUES OF COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS. SEVERAL TYPES OF COSTS NEED TO BE CONSIDERED, INCLUDING HIDDEN, JOINT, CAPITAL, OPERATING, FIXED, AND VARIABLE COSTS. COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND COST-BENEFIT ANALYSES RELY UPON RELATING THESE COSTS TO CERTAIN OUTPUTS. COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSES RELATE COSTS TO QUANTIFIABLE BUT NON-MONETARY OUTCOMES, WHILE COST-BENEFIT ANALYSES RELATE COSTS TO MONETARY OUTCOMES. WHILE IT IS EVIDENT HOW THESE LINKAGES ARE MADE, IT IS NOT EASY TO MAKE THEM IN PRACTICE. ECONOMISTS HAVE RELIED HEAVILY UPON LINEAR ESTIMATION MODELS TO MAKE THESE LINKAGES CLEAR. THUS, WHILE THE ELASTICITIES OF NFE CAN BE ESTIMATED, THE TECHNIQUES NECESSARY FOR SUCH ESTIMATIONS ARE NOT READILY AVAILABLE TO THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR IN THE FIELD. THE PURPOSE OF FURTHER WORK IN THIS PROJECT WILL BE TO OVERCOME THESE PROBLEMS BY MAKING THE TECHNIQUES FOR PRACTICAL APPLICATION MORE SIMPLE.