Investing in the supply of education,
and balancing supply-side and demandside
investments, is necessary for raising
educational achievements. In Mexico the
conditional cash-transfer program was targeted at rural communities sufficiently well endowed with school facilities. Distance to school was found to be a major correlate of program uptake. The next step is to extend school facilities to all rural areas. Improving the quality of schooling is also essential. A notable example is Colombia’s Escuela Nueva program of community involvement, curriculum improvement, teacher training, and administration. It has a flexible schedule to accommodate rural activities, and its teacher training addresses the needs of each community. More attention to school quality could significantly increase the returns on education.