Vouchers for Basic Education in Developing Economies: An Accountability Perspective

Advocates argue that voucher programs can correct the incentiveproblems of education systems in developing economies. An accountabilityperspective, based on a principal-agent framework, was developedto clarify the arguments for and against education vouchers.An assessment of findings on voucher programs in industrialcountries and a review of voucher or quasi-voucher experiencesin Bangladesh, Chile, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, and theCzech Republic support the usefulness of the analytic framework.The assessment concludes that the policy relevance of voucherprograms for developing economies remains uncertain. Major voucherinitiatives have been attempted only in countries with a well-developedinstitutional infrastructure. Some studies find favorable benefitsfor at least some population groups, but others find limitedeffects and evidence of increasing social stratification inschools. Whether vouchers lead to better outcomes or greaterstratification appears related to specific contexts, institutionalvariables, and program designs.