The Myth of Choice in Education ‘Quasi-markets’: The Nature and Implications of the Emergence of Private Schools in Punjab, Pakistan
Contributor Name:
Kavita
Pakistan is experiencing a dramatic transformation in the way basic education services are being delivered due to an unprecedented growth in low-cost private schools. The author analyzes the growth of affordable private schools from the perspective of choice in the quasi-market, in which parents have to bear schooling costs. The author:
- Examines factors driving growth of the private sector in Pakistan on the supply side;
- Assesses how the quasi-market is manifesting itself within a specific environment;
- Explores how choice is perceived from the demand side by investigating parental preferences.
The author demonstrates that poor quality and differentiated access may result from relying on imperfect markets to deliver services in a highly unequal, feudal society. Choice is often a myth for poor families in a non-universal education context such as Pakistan, and this poses considerable problems for how the government can and should respond.