Public Health and Education Spending in Ghana in 1992-98 : Issues of Equity and Efficiency

Canagarajah, Sudharshan ; Ye, Xiao

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: ACADEMIC YEAR;    ADDITION;    ATTENDING SCHOOL;    BASIC EDUCATION;    BASIC SERVICES;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-2579
RP-ID  :  WPS2579

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

Using primary data from the health andeducation ministries, and household survey data from theGhana Statistical Service, the authors analyze equity, andefficiency issues in public spending on health, andeducation in Ghana in the 1990s. Public expenditures in theeducation sector, declined in the second half of the 1990s.Basic education enrollment has been stagnant, or decliningin public schools, but increasing in private schools,resulting in a moderate increase in total enrollment.Regional disparities are significant, with lower publicresource allocations, and lower enrollment ratios in thethree poorest regions. The quality of basic education inpublic schools remains poor, while it has steadily improvedin private schools. Enrollments in higher levels are laggingbehind those in basic education. Ghana ranks high among WestAfrican countries in health indicators, although its healthexpenditures tend to favor the non-poor. While more of therural population have gained access to health services inrecent years, many still have limited access, or none.Moreover, there is no link between the pattern of publicexpenditures - especially the pattern of immunization acrossGhana - and health outcomes. To ensure that social servicesare efficiently, and equitably delivered in a fiscallyconstrained economy, the authors argue, public expendituresneed to be linked to outcomes.