Smart government policy: Takaful and Karama handouts will be contingent on school attendance: The Social Solidarity Ministry will make families’ cash benefits under the Takaful and Karama welfare programs contingent on their children maintaining a school attendance record of at least 80% of the year, Deputy Minister Nevine El Kabbaj told Youm7. El Kabbaj said families that fail the meet the requirement will face a 30% cut in benefits for a first offense. The penalty will increase to 60% and 90% for the second and third offenses, respectively. Families will be able to get back to full benefits if their kids’ attendance returns to 80%. The conditions will first be implemented in Cairo, Assiut, and Damietta as of February and will eventually be expanded to the remainder of the country, El Kabbaj said.

Background: The government has used the popular Takaful and Karama programs as instruments of social change. As of this month, families enrolled in the welfare programs will only be able to claim cash benefits for a maximum of two children per family, Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly had said in November.