The Importance of Investing in Secondary Education

A powerful case can be made for the expansion of secondary education in developing countries on the grounds of growth, poverty reduction, equity, and social cohesion. The argument is particularly germane for countries that have achieved high levels of primary education coverage but still have low enrollments at the secondary level. This chapter examines the evidence for the growing importance of secondary education by describing its direct benefits and externalities and documenting the increasing demand for this level of schooling.