Private Schooling for the Poor? International Research Raises New Questions for South Africa
Contributor Name:
Kavita
Analyzing the potential for expanding private education in poorer communities in South Africa
Recent studies in African and Asian slums indicate that private schools generate learning outcomes on par with public schools at far lower cost. This publication records the inputs of international experts at a workshop that discussed the role of the private sector in educating the poor in South Africa.
The workshop highlighted the evidence that for-profit schools are providing quality education for the poor in many parts of the world. While the implications for education policy were not straight forward, all stakeholders agreed on the value of exploring new approaches to education. Discussions revolved around the following themes:
- Neighborhood role of private education in poor areas;
- Extent of unregistered schools;
- Policy implications of private schooling for the public and private sectors;
- Nature of demand for private schooling;
- Impact of government subsidies on private schools;
- Comparing private and public sector providers;
- Public private partnerships;
- Role of private school associations.