The impact of food price increase on education in Algeria

Abstract EN

This study attempts to shed some light on the impact of food price inflation on the loss of human capital through school wastage in Algeria.

The results obtained from both a theoretical investigation, and by means of a substantial field work conducted in two Algerian counties (wilayate) clearly indicate that: (i) For a significant percentage of Algerian families, more than half of the overall income is spent on food.(ii) Food price inflation inevitably engenders considerable cuts on educational spendings which negatively affects learners’ school performance.

(iii) In the context of lack of financial support, vulnerable families have serious difficulty keeping their children at school, and learners encounter severe handicaps in their learning acquisition process and school attainment.

These very facts in turn induce school wastage and inefficiency of the public sector performance.

The solution to such a problem requires (i) a better understanding of both parents and learners’ difficulty, and (ii) the definition of a sound scheme of financial help, and moral support in favour of poor families and pupils.