One popular story told (and taught) is how corruption was slashed in Uganda simply by publicly disclosing the amount of monthly grants to schools by informing the public of how much money was supposed to go where, the government was less able to...

Recent surveys suggest that leakage of funds from ministries of education to schools represent more than 80 per cent of the total sums allocated for non salary expenditures in some countries; bribes and payoffs in teacher recruitment and promotion...

What are the most effective ways to increase primary school enrolment and student learning? This paper argues that innovations in governance of social services may yield the highest return since social service delivery in developing countries is...

Public expenditure tracking surveys (PETS) allow policy makers to diagnose how incentives and accountability systems are working in practice and how they can be improved. Among the results provided by PETS are estimates of leakage, data on the...

There is widespread consensus that development assistance works best when it is targeted towards countries with relatively sound and/or improving policies and institutions. Recognizing this, bilateral and multilateral donors are increasingly trying...

Using panel data from a unique survey of public primary schools in Uganda, Reinikka and Svensson assess the degree of leakage of public funds in education. The survey data reveal that on average, during the period 1991-95, schools received only 13...

In this chapter, Reinikka demonstrates that increasing public access to information has reduced inefficiency and corruption in Uganda. The survey from which her conclusions are drawn shows that budget allocations matter little when institutions are...

Bribery, through money, gifts, or exchange of favors, is common in the Omsk educational system. A student is obliged to pay 15000 Rubles for the 5th grade, 10000 Rubles for the 4th grade, and 5000 Rubles for the 3rd grade entering exams. A reform of...