Description:
Uniquely among Latin American and
Caribbean countries, Haiti has a largely non-public
education system. Prior to the earthquake of January 2010,
just 19 percent of primary school students were enrolled in
public schools, with the remainder enrolled in a mix of
religious, for-profit, and non-governmental
organization-funded schools. This paper examines changes in
Haitian schooling patterns in the last century and shows the
country experienced tremendous growth in school attainment,
driven almost entirely by growth in the private sector.
Additionally, it provides evidence that the private market
"works" to the extent that primary school fees are
higher for schools with characteristics associated with
education quality. The paper also analyzes the demand and
supply determinants of school attendance and finds that
household wealth is a major determinant of attendance. Given
these findings, the authors conclude that in the near-term
paying school fees for poor students may be an effective
approach to expanding schooling access in Haiti.