Financing for equity in higher education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students
4. Support for students' living costs
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
In Madagascar, between 2000 and 2022, the gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education rose steadily from 2.02% to 6.15. From 2005 to 2012, initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita declined from 140 to 91. Data on initial household funding is not available from the UIS.
Tuition-free status
Public education is free, as specified in the Constitution (Article 24). Private higher education institutions are allowed to operate under Decree 11-208 of February 15, 2011, which sets the guidelines for their establishment and functioning.
Governance
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is primarily responsible for financing higher education.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Funding for public higher education is primarily allocated and managed at the central government level. There is little evidence of systematic mechanisms for transferring resources from the central government directly to local governments specifically for public higher education.
2. Education resources to institutions
Funding for private universities in the absence of public institutions
The central government allocates funds directly to higher education institutions, rather than channelling them through local government structures. The government has supported the creation and operation of private higher education institutions, but these institutions are largely self-financed through tuition fees and private sources.
Allocation and equity
Funds are distributed directly from the central government to the institutions. While the national Education Sector Plan (2018–2022) emphasises improving access and retention for poor and vulnerable students, it does not detail specific budget lines or formulas for equity-targeted institutional funding. Equity considerations are primarily addressed through student-focused programmes and scholarship (sections 3 and 4).
3. Education resources to students
Admission for vulnerable groups
There is no evidence of legally mandated quotas or reserved seats for vulnerable groups at the point of higher education admission. However, the Education Sector Plan (2018–2022) and the National Disability Inclusion Plan (2015–2019) specifically target students with disabilities, aiming to admit 15% of students with mild or moderate disabilities into mainstream education. Financial support for vulnerable students is provided primarily through scholarships and targeted programmes after admission.
Scholarships, grants and loans for vulnerable groups
The Directorate of National and International Scholarships has the mandate to provide funds to students, through either scholarships or loans, to undertake higher education.
The SESAME programme (Soutien aux études supérieures et accès à un métier) was established in Antananarivo in 2013. It is an educational excellence initiative specifically designed for students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds in Madagascar. SESAME provides a rigorous and innovative support model for motivated high school graduates (bacheliers) who face financial and social barriers to accessing higher education. The programme aims to foster academic excellence, professional integration, and civic engagement among its participants. Each year, SESAME selects students nationwide, focusing on those who are both academically talented and from underprivileged backgrounds—about 50% of whom are girls. The SESAME programme partners with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Madagascar.
Public universities, such as the University of Antananarivo, offer need-based scholarships to students. These scholarships include a fixed annual equipment and installation allowance and a monthly study allowance, with the amount depending on the university year.
4. Support for students’ living costs
Transportation
There is no evidence of a systematic, government-funded transportation support programme for higher education students in Madagascar. Most references to organised student transportation—such as school bus services—are found in the context of private or international schools at the primary and secondary levels, not for universities or higher education institutions.
Accommodation
The SESAME programme awards scholarships that cover most living and educational expenses, including accommodation in campus dormitories.
Textbooks
There is no evidence of a nationwide, systematic programme in Madagascar that provides direct financial support to higher education students specifically for purchasing textbooks. Access to books for all age groups is often facilitated through community libraries and mobile library projects, which provide free or shared access to educational materials rather than direct cash or voucher support for individuals.
