Enhancing human capacities in Africa

To improve Africa's performance in health and education, this chapter recommends a central role for a reformed public sector. It begins by surveying the existing state of health and educational outcomes in Africa and considers the channels through which public policy affects educational and health achievements, as well as the returns to those achievements. It then turns to the causes of market failure, arguing that these failures are quite fundamental to Africa's poor performance compared to other regions. Finally, the chapter considers policy responses, first to financing issues and then to public provision and relations with the private sector. There is some hope that the situation may be improving.