After he graduated from Stanford, Swaniker took a nine-month leave of absence from McKinsey with the intention of hiring someone else to launch his school.

FORBES: Fighting Africa's Brain Drain

Issuing fines is one of the last resorts for schools to deal with absence problems, including parents who take their child on holiday during term time without permission from the school.

BBC: School term-time holidays: 'Most parents take them'

The absence of clean, safe and separate toilets for boys and girls tends to discourage children, particularly girls, from attending school regularly.

UNESCO: MEDIA SERVICES