Achieving Universal Post-Primary Education in Africa:Innovative modalities and cost implications

In general many African countries have made rapid progress from a low enrolmentbase, largely due to national policies and investment in education as wellas sustained external support by partner agencies. A logical consequence of these achievements is increased social demand for post-primary education. This paper highlights what we know about patterns of provision of post-primary education and offers an analysis of the determinants of these patterns in different countries. Secondly, it provides an Africa-wide cost estimate of the additional financing needed to expandpost-primary coverage universally using current models of provision. Finally,in the context of the relationship between primary, post-primary, and tertiaryeducation, the paper explores innovative responses and pragmatic policies thatwill offer a wider variety of models for provision of post-primary opportunities.It then reviews the cost implications of these different patterns of innovativeprovision that would increase the feasibility of achieving universal post-primaryeducation in most African countries