Informal fee charge and school choice under a free primary education policy: Panel data evidence from rural Uganda

Although Uganda became a pioneer in sub-Saharan Africa by introducing a fee abolition policy to achieve universal primary education, charging fees has become increasingly common. This study assesses the effect of informal fee charges in public schools on primary school attendance and choice in rural Uganda, finding that there is a strong negative effect of high fees on public school attendance of children from poor households. The study also finds a limited role of private schools absorbing the children from poor households who left public school due to high fee charges.