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“Public-Private Partnerships” in Education Dr Pauline Rose
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he term “public-private partnership” (PPP) has become popular in international policy debates over the last decade. While more caution has been taken in adopting a PPP approach in basic education compared with other basic service delivery (including health, water and sanitation), it is being increasingly considered as a possible strategy to assist countries in reaching their “Education for All” goals. As the paper illustrates, the term “PPP” is narrow and does not fully reflect the range of actors involved in education provision (which go beyond conventional “for profit” private providers). In addition, as others have highlighted, the term “partnership” is often used as short-hand (or a euphemism) for complex forms of relationships between the state and non-state sectors. As such, the paper prefers to adopt less restrictive terminology of non-state/state relationships, which both allows for consideration of different types of actors, as well as of interactions which would not always be classified in terms of “partnership”.1 The paper focuses on primary schooling, where education is commonly understood as a fundamental right, as well as important for human and social development (Colclough 1996; Hannum and Buchmann 2005). State provision of primary schooling has commonly been justified on the grounds that there would be underinvestment if left to the market. At the heart of this justification is the notion of education as a “public good” given that benefits of educational investment not only accrue to individuals through enhanced life opportunities but also have positive contributions to society at large (Colclough 1996). These benefits include contributions to economic growth through increased productivity in the labour market, as well as “externalities” in terms of reduced fertility, improved health etc. However, recent interest in non-state provision internationally has occurred in recognition that the state has been unable to fulfil its role in extending access of appropriate quality to all children in the context of the Education for All (EFA) agenda since the 1990s. As emphasis has been placed on expanding access to primary schooling including through fee abolition, private provision at relatively low fee levels has grown to fill the gap. In addition, in some countries, NGOs, faith-based and philanthropic associations also play a role in supporting education provision to those underserved by the government system. Roles and Scope of Non-State Providers Non-State Providers (NSPs) have a long history of educational service delivery in many developing countries. These include the activities of missionaries and other
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