Improving access to schooling in the Third World : an overview

Although access is basically a problem of insufficient resources, research clearly shows that distinct patterns of access to or exclusion from education exist in most societies. Eight factors influencing access are identified: (1) remoteness of residence; (2) poverty; (3) gender; (4) intra-family composition and birth order; (5) race or ethnicity; (6) religion; (7) physical or mental handicaps; and (8) lack of permanent residence. The paper then describes policy attempts to improve access to education. Such policies focus either on increasing the supply of education or on changing education demand. Three guidelines emerge from the review. (1) Differing demand patterns among different societal groups result from historical/economic forces. (2) Since demand patterns are repeated from generation to generation, policymakers can identify and focus on groups that do not send their children to school. (3) Policies should take into account the interaction of factors that cause families to keep their children away from school. Policies that focus on single determinants of demand, even where these are clearly important, often fail. Includes six-page bibliography. (Author abstract, modified)