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)
No information was available regarding the gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education for both sexes, the initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita or the initial household funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita.
Tuition-free status
Law No. 32/20, of 2020, which amends the Basic Law on Education and Teaching, states in Article 1 that: “The payment of enrollment fees, tuition, school supplies, and other expenses in secondary and higher education is the responsibility of parents, guardians, or the students themselves, if they are of legal age.”
Governance
Presidential Decree No. 221/20, dated 2020, approving the Organic Statute of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, assigns MESCTI the responsibility to design, execute, monitor, supervise, and evaluate public policies and programmes for higher education, science, technology, and innovation, in coordination with other ministries and public and private entities. The Office of Studies, Planning, and Statistics supports MESCTI by designing, analyzing, and monitoring public investment projects and budget plans for Higher Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation. However, the Ministry of Finance exercises central control over the allocation and supervision of the sector's financial resources.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
SUBNATIONAL FUNDING MECHANISMS
The system operates under a direct centralised funding model, whereby the central government, through MESCTI and the Ministry of Finance, allocates resources directly to higher education institutions, without subnational intermediaries (Article 98 of Law 17/16).
2. Education resources to institutions
Funding for private universities in the absence of public institutions
No funding for private universities when no public university is available has been identified.
Allocation and equity
Since 2024, the Angolan government has implemented Results-Based Agreements (RBAs), replacing the traditional allocation model based on historical costs. Presidential Decree No. 124/20 states that funding is conditional on achieving predefined targets. The Higher Education, Science, and Technology Development Project (TEST), co-financed by the World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education, aims to enhance the quality and relevance of higher education, particularly in STEAM fields, promote employability, and strengthen connections between universities and the productive sector. The project components focus on improving access, equity, and quality in higher education.
3. Education resources to students
Admission for vulnerable groups
No specific admission criteria for vulnerable groups have been identified.
Scholarships, grants and loans for vulnerable groups
The National Institute for Scholarship Management (INAGBE) oversees national scholarship policy. Currently, the policy incentivises women's participation and prioritises individuals under the special protection and special needs regime, promoting inclusion and equal opportunities. The General Regulations for Scholarships in the Higher Education Subsystem specify that 20% of scholarships are allocated to citizens under the Special Protection Regime, including children of former combatants, veterans, war-disabled individuals, and persons with disabilities.
Angola does not have an official government student loan programme for specific groups, relying instead on private banking initiatives with limited state guarantees and minimal regulation, primarily targeting high-achieving students.
4. Support for students’ living costs
Transportation
In 2018, the MESCTI implemented a free transportation programme for students at public universities, delivering 20 buses to higher education institutions.
Accommodation
No support for student accommodation has been identified.
Textbooks
No support for purchasing student textbooks has been identified. Law No. 32/20, of 2020, states in Article 1 that: “The payment of […] school supplies, and other expenses in secondary and higher education is the responsibility of parents, guardians, or the students themselves, if they are of legal age.”
This profile has been reviewed by Belmiro Gil Cabrito, Associated Professor.
