Table 1.
Exposure of birth cohorts to tuition-free primary and secondary education policies.
| Country | Tuition-free policy year | Expected age at the start of school (Primary, Secondary) | Earliest birth cohort exposed to tuition-free schooling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treated Countries (Secondary-free exposure)a | |||
| Chad | 2006 | (6, 12) | 2000 |
| Cote d’Ivoire | 1995 | (6, 12) | 1989 |
| Gambia | 2004 | (7, 13) | 1997 |
| Ghana | 1997 | (6, 12) | 1991 |
| Kenya | 2003 | (6, 11) | 1997 |
| Malawi | 1995 | (6, 11) | 1989 |
| Mali | 2000 | (7, 13) | 1993 |
| Nigeria | 2004 | (6, 12) | 1998 |
| Rwanda | 2003 | (7, 13) | 1996 |
| Senegal | 2005 | (6, 12) | 1999 |
| Sierra Leone | 2000 | (6, 12) | 1994 |
| Treated Countries (Primary-free exposure) | |||
| Angola | 2001 | (6, 12) | 1995 |
| Benin | 2003 | (6, 12) | 1997 |
| Burundi | 2005 | (7, 13) | 1998 |
| Cameroon | 2000 | (6, 12) | 1994 |
| Ethiopia | 1994 | (7, 11) | 1987 |
| Lesotho | 2000 | (6, 13) | 1994 |
| Namibia | 2001 | (6, 13) | 1995 |
| Tanzania b | 2003 | (7, 14) | 1996 |
| Comparison Countries (No free schooling exposure)c | |||
| Burkina Faso | 2007 | (6, 12) | 2001 |
| DRC | 2015 | (6, 12) | 2009 |
| Madagascar | 2003 | (6, 11) | 1997 |
| Mozambique | 2005 | (6, 13) | 1999 |
| Niger | – | (7, 13) | – |
| Sao Tome | 2003 | (6, 12) | 1997 |
| South Africa | – | (6, 12) | – |
| Swaziland | 2010 | (6, 13) | 2004 |
| Togo | 2009 | (6, 12) | 2003 |
| Zimbabwe | – | (6, 13) | – |
a
Girls in these countries were exposed to both primary and secondary tuition-free policies at the same time.
b
Tanzania later eliminated tuition-fees up to the secondary level but the currently available DHS surveys include girls exposed to tuition-free primary alone.
c
These birth cohorts were expected to be the first beneficiaries of tuition-free policy; however, they were not interviewed in the currently available DHS.