School grants and school performance in rural Cambodia

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe analyse a school grant programme (Education Sector Support Scale-Up Project) implemented in roughly 600 rural primary schools in Cambodia. Detailed data from site visits are augmented with administrative data covering pre- and post-treatment years. Treatment effects are estimated using matching and fixed-effects methods. We find that school grant participation did increase budget resources, although the net impact fell short of the intended per-pupil target. Intermediate impacts in school management and community participation are mixed, but there is little evidence of increased parental engagement or satisfaction. School grants are associated with higher pass rates and student achievement levels, but these are concentrated in the earliest programme entrants, with some tapering in the post-programme period. The results highlight the challenges of instigating far-reaching changes in school management dynamics in the kinds of communities often targeted for school-based management reforms.