James Tooley - Low cost private schools as part of the solution for education for all
Abstract
Empirical research in Asia, Africa and Latin America strongly suggests that low cost private schools are part of the solution and definitely not part of the problem in global efforts to provide quality education for all. Education bureaucrats may be right to point out that there are still problems with access and equity, as well as the quality of provision. Yet, compared to public sector schools, low costs private school seem to address the needs of the poor more effectively and exceed in performance by almost every measure. Even though the problems associated with low-cost private schools are real they are not insurmountable. This article discusses various policy instruments that helped to increase the incentives of low-cost private schools to improve teaching quality, student performance, responsiveness to local needs and reputation in the private sector and academia.
