Fall 2004, Volume 9 Number 3

Table of Contents

School Fees...
by Kolleen Bouchane and Leah Goldfine

Background:

In numerous developing countries, millions of poor children are denied a basic education due to the devastating effect of school fees.  School fees are a form of user fee that families in many developing countries are required to pay before their children are allowed to attend public primary or secondary school.  According to UNICEF, 121 million children around the world are not in school; the majority of these are girls.

School fees have the harshest effect on the most vulnerable groups: girls, AIDS orphans and the very poorest children.  The benefits of eliminating school fees are endless.  Providing basic education to girls    boosts economic productivity, lowers maternal and infant mortality rates, increases life expectancy, and increases income.  Without school fees to pay for, AIDS orphans will be more likely to be adopted.  Furthermore, providing basic education to millions more children will reduce the AIDS rate because youth will have a mechanism in which to learn about preventative measures against the disease.  In Uganda for example, the AIDS Commission there, has reported that the country’s commitment to combating the disease through education has helped to lower the rate of new infections among 15-19 year olds by almost 50%. 

Eliminating school fees is an essential part of international

development.  No country has ever made any significant progress without first educating its population.  Countries that have already eliminated school fees have seen huge increases in the number of children enrolled in primary school.  In Tanzania for example, school enrollment rates have doubled since school fees were eliminated in that country.

Recent Developments and What Needs to be Done:

In a recent important vote, the Assistance to Orphaned and Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2004 (H.R. 4061) passed in the House of Representatives.  This monumental Act will enable communities around the world to provide better healthcare for AIDS orphans, psychosocial support for them and protection of their rights.  The bill also responds to the problem of school fees by encouraging counties to eliminate their school fees and other barriers that exist which prevent AIDS orphans from obtaining a basic education.  An almost identical bill has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Boxer, Smith, Chafee, and Feingold.

In the House mark-up for 2005, $15 million was allocated for eliminating school fees.  This funding would be distributed by USAID.  This is NOT enough. The ideal solution to the problem of school fees would be an allocation of $250 million to be housed at UNICEF and would be used to encourage countries to eliminate their school fees.  There is still time before the Senate votes om their own budget for 2005 and this means that there is still time to push for the incentive fund to be housed at UNCIEF.

Action to be Taken:

-Write or call your Senators and tell them that you believe education is a basic right for all children.  Tell them you support funding in this year’s appropriations bill for the creation of an incentive fund to be housed at UNICEF, which will help countries eliminate their school fees programs.

Write or call Kolleen Bouchane (kbouchane@results.org) or Leah Goldfine (lgoldfine@results.org) at RESULTS for more information on school fees and how you can help in eliminating them.  (202)783-7100

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