What non-government provision exists in secondary education? How does it operate? What is the likelihood of further growth in non-government provision? This book, from the University of Sussex, explores the realities of non-government provision in Malawi and South Africa. Non-government schooling has a role particularly where the State is a poor service deliverer. However, for profit providers are generally not pro-poor and service the relatively wealthy and those above the twentieth percent of household income in most developing countries. Not for profit providers do reach populations with limited access to Government schools but have limited capacity and should not be the providers of last resort.
Demand for secondary schooling has been growing rapidly in much of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, the Millennium Development Goals and Education for All have resulted in an emphasis on primary schooling. To the extent that budgetary provision for secondary education has stagnated or declined in many countries. Increased demand cannot be met through expansion of unsubsidized non-government providers since there are limits of affordability determined by household incomes in countries where more than half the population exists on less than a dollar a day. The complementary roles that non-government institutions can play in partnership with the State have been poorly understood.
Excess demand arising from the growth in primary school completers and dissatisfaction with public school systems has led to increased secondary provision by non-government providers. This is mostly a reflection of differentiated demand driven by preference than a response to needs to expand access to unserved communities. Its effect on access, equity and quality is in question and strategies are needed to extend the reach of low cost public schooling at secondary level. The study notes that:
- The numbers of school age children relative to those in the workforce are massively higher in SSA than in rich countries, so the burden of costs for unsubsidised schooling is much greater.
- The supply of affordable secondary schooling must be increased in counries where less than 10% of the labour force completes secondary schooling.
- With reform, larger budget allocations and more efficient working practices, publicly supported enrolments could be doubled/ tripled without unsustainable costs.
- Labour market demand and credentialism are increasingly important.
- Public secondary education needs to become more demand-led to address broad development needs and mitigate the effects of growing credentialism.
Thus, non government providers need to be facilitated and regulated to complement the efforts of the State. Constructive and complementary partnerships are needed to avoid unproductive competition for teachers, rent seeking by unscrupulous for-profit providers, and diminutions in more equitable access. A laissezfaire approach, with little regulation, incentives and subsidies, might encourage growth up to the limits of affordability but would risk more exclusion of the poor and poses significant challenges to access and equity. Successfully managing growth is dependent on effective regulation designed to ensure minimum standards and, where subsidies are judged appropriate, mechanisms to extend the reach of secondary schooling to poor households.
Key areas for action to develop policy in relation to non-government provision include:
- Strengthening policy dialogue with non-government providers and addressing issues of access and equity.
- Improving efficiency and effectiveness in public schools and strengthening regulatory systems for complementary non government providers.
- Establishing clear legal and professional conditions for the employment of teachers in non-government institutions with transparent governance structures.
- Generating reliable data on non-government providers and placing this in the public domain.
- Encouraging partnerships between public and non-government providers designed to expand access in areas currently unserved by secondary schooling.
