Monitoring works: getting teachers to come to school

Financial incentive scheme reduces teacher absenteeism in India

By: Duflo E & Duflo R
Published by: National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), USA , 2005
Via: Eldis

This paper tests whether a simple incentive programme based on teacher presence can reduce teacher absence, and whether it has the potential to lead to more teaching activities and better learning. A financial incentive programme was initiated to reduce absenteeism, whereby teachers were given a camera with a tamper-proof date and time function, along with instructions to have one of the children photograph the teacher and other students at the beginning and end of the school day. The time and date stamps on the photographs were used to track teacher attendance. A teacher's salary was a direct function of his attendance.