Private Education is Good for the Poor: A Study of Private Schools Serving the Poor in Low-income Countries
Contributor Name:
Kavita
A case for affordable education provision by the private sector
Private education is often assumed to be serving the elite or middle classes, and not the poor. Unregistered or unrecognized private schools are thought to be of the lowest quality, and hence needing detailed regulation or even closure by governmental authorities.
The authors conducted a two-year in-depth study in India, Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya. They found that:
- Private schools play an important role in reaching and satisfying education needs of the poor;
- Private schools are run largely by proprietors, with very few receiving outside philanthropic support and none receiving state funding;
- Roughly equal number of boys and girls attend private unaided schools;
- Private schools rank higher than public schools in terms of pupil-teacher ratio, teacher commitment and sometimes, facilities;
- Private schools often provide education free or at reduced rates to serve the poorest of the poor;
- Student achievement tests show considerably higher achievement in private rather than in government schools.