The Biggest Stakeholder of All - The Students
Jun 10, 2010
The sector of “Affordable Private Schools” (APS)—independent schools in low-income areas that can cost as little as $2/month—has the opportunity to transform education for low-income children worldwide. The sector is growing rapidly: today there are an estimated 100,000 APS in India, 70,000 in Pakistan, and hundreds of thousands more worldwide from Africa to Latin America. The growth can be attributed to parents growing frustrated with the government-run schools and wanting an alternative. Social entrepreneurs have stepped up and the research indicates that they give the parents what they pay for – a better quality education.
Despite the potential of the sector, outside support remains minimal. In order to increase access to quality education to more low-income students, the sector has four key needs:
Metrics. Data on the quality and performance of APS is very limited. We need better data to prove how APS are directly impacting the lives of their students and to enable parents to select the best APS for their child.
Quality interventions. Do APS have the right tools for success? Which interventions—whether it be instructional practices, the use of innovative technology, or improvements that are taken for granted in the developing world—such as the midday meal—will help the sector and its students thrive? Quality interventions, driven by APS demand, are a necessity.
Capital. APS owners and administrators are cash-strapped and typically on tight budget margins. School owners need access to finance to build more classrooms, and can benefit from grant capital to improve the quality of learning in the schools.
More APS. Many low-income communities do not have the choice of affordable private schools and the government schools are not delivering quality education. Whether it be replicating successful APS in new communities or better broadcasting existing APS opportunities to shareholders, choice and access are key for expanding the sector.
Key stakeholders are beginning to interact with all of these needs. Capital providers, ranging from banks to foundations to social venture funds, are gathering data on the most promising programs so that they can efficiently provide capital. Parents are asking for metrics on school performance and holding school owners accountable. School operators are seeking capital and innovation to make their thin budgets stretch further. Education service providers are assessing the potential market so that they can best meet the needs of their customers. And associations of schools, teachers, and parents are forming to help their members grow sustainably.
The biggest stakeholder of all, though, are the students. And for the students that have learned to read, write, and utilize basic computer skills, ensuring them a livelihood and an escape from the day-to-day poverty of the slums, affordable private schools are making the largest impact.
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