The power of information in public services: Evidence from education in Uganda

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Reinikka, Ritva; Svensson, Jakob
• 署名单位: The World Bank; Stockholm University
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2011.02.006
• 发表日期: 2011
• 页码: 956-966
• 关键词: Public organizations; Educational finance; Economic development

摘要

In this paper we argue that innovations in governance of social services are an effective way to improve outcomes such as attainment of universal primary education. To test this hypothesis we exploit an unusual policy experiment: a newspaper campaign in Uganda aimed at reducing the capture of public funds by providing schools (parents) with systematic information to monitor local officials' handling of a large education grant program. Combining survey and administrative data, we show that public access to information can be a powerful deterrent to the capture of funds at the local level and that the reduction in the capture of funds that resulted had a positive effect on school enrollment and learning outcomes. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.