Access to Schooling in rural Ghana: Implications for EFA and Reduction in Intergenerational Poverty

Abstract

This presentation looked at the extent to which the fee-free policy of capitation grants in public basic schools in Ghana has impacted on the economic burden of households, making schooling more accessible to poor rural households. Based on data from household survey and interviews, the results indicate that the capitation grant contributes to the reduction of direct cost of schooling, but the significantly high cost of food and school uniforms in both public and private schools relative to other direct costs could constitute a barrier to access to schooling by poor households