Claire Adida, an assistant professor of political science and Jennifer Burney, an assistant professor of international relations and Pacific studies at the University of California at San Diego, are developing an app for mobile phones that will allow for friends, relatives, and philanthropists to pay the tuition for schoolchildren in the African nation of Benin.
“The problem with secondary schooling in many African democracies is that it is not subsidized by the government the way primary schools have been,” explained Dr. Adida. “That leads to low attendance. In Benin, primary school completion is about 35 percent, while completion of secondary school is only five to eight percent.”
The average cost of sending a child to secondary school – including books and lunch – ranges between $20 and $35 per year. Among rural families who send their children to school, tuition is often paid by relatives living in large cities or abroad. The new app will make the process more sufficient and secure.
Here is a video that explains the project.
