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Debt Relief, Demand for Education and Poverty

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Debt Relief for Poor Countries

Part of the book series: Studies in Development Economics and Policy ((SDEP))

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Abstract

It is widely asserted that debt relief for heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) could create and sustain a virtuous circle of poverty reduction and growth, primarily by providing additional fiscal resources for poverty alleviation. Debt relief targeted for human capital accumulation through increased public spending on education is viewed as a critical component of this link.1 Low overall educational attainment, stagnant school enrolment rates, along with high estimated returns to schooling in many HIPCs, are often cited as justification for increased public investment in education (Table 11.1). As a result, explicit targets for expanding school enrolment rates and other performance criteria for education expenditures have been set in HIPC programmes.

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© 2004 The United Nations University

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Dabla-Norris, E., Matovu, J.M., Wade, P.R. (2004). Debt Relief, Demand for Education and Poverty. In: Addison, T., Hansen, H., Tarp, F. (eds) Debt Relief for Poor Countries. Studies in Development Economics and Policy. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230522329_11

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