Poverty and inequality in the distribution of public education spending in South Africa
Castro-leal, Florencia
The study explores the distribution of all public education resources across socioeconomic, and demographic groups in South Africa. The Benefit Incidence Analysis was the methodology used to measure the distribution of public services, and how these benefited, if any, targeted groups within its population. The analysis specifies that the education system is hampered by disparities among income groups, races, and regions, with substantially lower public education resources benefiting the poor, than the overall school-age population shares. This distribution inequality, widens by educational level - from primary to tertiary - for all population groups. However, data on household direct costs suggest that, reduced fringe benefits for poor primary and secondary school-age children, plus school fees exemptions, in tertiary education scholarships for the poor, can increase student enrollment among the poor. Such programs could be accompanied by cost recovery mechanisms that do not discriminate against the poor, and instead, create free public education funds to finance additional expenses.
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