Private schools in public education systems

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Alina Wandelt


SDG4 calls for free, equitable and quality education for all boys and girls by 2030.  So what about the rise of private schooling across the developing world?


A growing number of students is enrolled in educational institutions that are not administered by local, state or national governments. In 2014, around 13,5 % of all primary education students attended a private school. This means an upsurge of almost 60 %, compared to 1980 when only 8,5 % of all students were taught privately. In secondary education, the numbers are even higher: almost 25 % have chosen private over public in 2014, compared to 19 % in 2000.

Assessing these numbers against the SDGs, which ambitiously call for the realization of free, equitable and quality education for all boys and girls by 2030, the rise of private schools’ warrants discussion: Is private schooling consistent with the human right for education? Can education be equitable if it’s not free?

While it remains contested in how far the involvement of the private sector in education is desirable, the growth of private education calls for a more rigorous reflection. What are states’ obligations in regulating these schools?

This was the focus of the conference “Regional consultation: Guiding Principles on state obligations regarding private schools”, held on March 13 and 14 2017 in Paris.

Developing “Guiding Principles on State Obligations regarding Private Schools”

Three NGOs (the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Right to Education Project and the Open Society Foundation) have teamed up to provide a normative framework to assist countries in ensuring that private schools do not undermine human rights.

The projects’ steering committee has established an extensive consultation process generating contributions that directly feed back into the framework.

 In the format of 2-day-conferences, the input of participants around the world is collected during 6 regional consultations[5], various consultations with thematic groups and national delegations, as well as an open-access-online consultation.  Ultimately, the principles are “intended to be operational in and adaptable to different contexts […] to provide a basis for advocacy, policy development, and litigation”.

What types of private schools exist?

Privatization in education comes in different forms: They may be run fully independently[7] or partly-state funded, comply with public regulations or not, be run on tuition fees or sponsored by private capital. Religiously affiliated or faith-based schools are another subcategory.

In a low fee private school in Pratna, India. Source: http://www.livemint.com/Politics/RZtEOAi6mbxQnVyMp2IpEM/In-Patna-a-lowcost-private-school-revolution.html
A specific type of private school that is very popular, is the low fee private school that relies on relatively affordable tuition fees and is, hence, an available option for low-income families. Low fee private schools are particularly common where states lack the financial capacity to fully provide for state funded education. India, Pakistan, Kenya, Nigeria, Malawi but also Peru are prominent examples. Low fee private schools are a vital part of the education system in these countries, sometimes even outnumbering public schools with a share of 60 – 70 % of all students.

The Outcome: Drafting the “Human Rights Guiding Principles on State Obligations regarding Private Schools”

The guiding principles are targeted to apply to all types of private schools. The most recent version of the draft contains seven pages including a preamble and section on general principles on the right to education. A second section outlines the specific conditions private schools ought to oblige to.

The principles accentuate that private education must remain ‘supplementary instead of supplant’ and should never make up a ‘substantial part of education’[12]. Human rights as the right of non-discrimination and non-segregation are demanded as be the basis for any private arrangement. Accountability as well as ‘quality teaching’ shall be ensured.

States are further encouraged to incrementally abolish for-profit schools and only exceptionally fund private schools for a limited period.

 Major discussion points were inter alia the equity-versus-liberty-tension, as the trade-off between the right for education and the right of the freedom of choice (i.e. the liberty of parents to choose the school for their children freely) as well as the non-binding nature of the principles, which remain a primary concern.

 Further revisions of the document will have to address these challenges.  

Further Reading

(1)  Information on the initiative
http://globalinitiative-escr.org/advocacy/privatization-in-education-research-initiative/human-rights-guiding-principles-on-the-obligations-of-states-regarding-private-actors-in-education/
Presentation on the project by Sylvain Aubry, research and legal advisor with the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: https://www.slideshare.net/sylvainaubry/presentation-of-the-project-on-privatisation-in-education-and-human-rights?next_slideshow=1

(2)  Further reading on private schools:
Do private schools need to be better regulated?
https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2016/03/31/do-private-schools-need-to-be-better-regulated/
Private schools: punishing the poorest, or providing much needed access to education?
https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2015/04/30/private-schools-punishing-the-poorest-or-providing-much-needed-access-to-education/
http://en.unesco.org/events/regional-consultation-guiding-principles-state-obligations-regarding-private-schools

Comments

  1. Vinata Purva14 October 2019 at 03:47

    The Fact Behind these Data About Primary School, Because Public And Private Has Difference Study Level Because, People Wants There Child Base (primary Education) Strong That is why They preferred Private School In the Beginning Because Private School Teachers Gives Better Focus On students except Public School.

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  2. Maurya550310 February 2020 at 03:36

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