Are Private Schools Really Performing Better than Government Schools?
Contributor Name:
Kavita
Data from various Indian states show a clear rising trend in private school enrollment in rural India.
The author investigates whether private schools in India provide better quality primary education than government schools. The study takes into account factors other than type of school that affect learning outcomes. Findings include:
- Larger number of siblings reduces learning outcomes;
- Education of parents, external tuition and mother’s education have a positive effect on learning outcomes;
- Household characteristics signifying greater affluence positively affect learning outcomes;
- Two thirds of the learning differential between government and private schools can be attributed to factors other than type of school;
- Forty percent of the observed differential in English learning levels between government and private schools can be attributed to factors other than type of school.