Relationship between cash transfer programmes and school outcomes in Africa and Latin America: A systematic review

Abstract

Poverty is popularly believed to be a hindrance to schooling for children from poor households. To overcome this obstacle, cash transfers have been  used to support and promote their access to education. This review assesses the effect of some cash transfers programmes in Africa and Latin America on children’s educational outcomes. A systematic search for relevant studies was conducted online through google scholar. Inclusion  criteria were met by ten studies- 5 in Africa and 5 in Latin America. Eight studies used a quantitative approach, while two adopted a mixed-methods  technique. The included studies used different study designs, and their outcomes showed that both Conditional Cash Transfers (CCTs) and Unconditional Cash Transfers (UCTs) have positive effects on school outcomes. Some results showed strong evidence, others showed weak evidence  while others showed limited evidence. Cash transfer programmes offer disadvantaged children the opportunity for schooling. However, the impact of these programmes varies because of their implementation designs.

Keywords: Cash transfers, Children, Poverty, School