Policy Options to Improve Educational Impact of the Malawi SCTP
Summary
The Government of Malawi's Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) is an unconditional cash transfer programme targeted to ultra-poor and labor-constrained households, and currently reaches over one million individuals in all districts of the country. The SCTP provides households with an average monthly payment of MK7,000, including an unconditional school bonus for school-aged children to support school enrollment. Despite this bonus or 'top-up', and despite evidence showing large positive impacts of the SCTP on school enrollment, drop-out rates are still high in absolute terms. This study will conduct focus group discussions with adolescents in- and out-of-school, as well as their caregivers, to understand the reasons for high drop-outs.