The Zomba conditional cash transfer experiment: An assessment of its methodology

In the 6th edition of our Pathways Perspectives publications, Stephen Kidd and Rebecca Calder examine the results of a study undertaken by the World Bank in an attempt to assess the effectiveness of using conditions in cash transfer programmes.

Based on the findings of the study, in 2010, the researchers – Sarah Baird, Craig McIntosh and Berk Ozler – published a paper indicating that conditions made no difference.

Interestingly, by 2011 this conclusion had changed, with a revised paper claiming that the use of conditions not only increased enrolment and attendance but also improved learning outcomes. Unsurprisingly, the change in findings has generated a significant amount of interest.