Non-state providers of education
Meeting international targets such as Education for All and the education-related Millennium Development Goals requires a rapid and large-scale expansion of education systems in many countries. With some governments finding it difficult to achieve this expansion, attention has turned to whether non-state provision could help fill the gap and compliment government services. In some cases, this is already happening by default: the drive to increase access to basic education has increased demand for schooling at all levels, which the state sector has often been unable to meet. Non-state providers vary enormously in their motivations, means of financing and relationship with the state, and concerns have been raised about the implications of increased non-state provision for equity, quality of education, and regulation.
This page provides an overview of what non-state providers are, how they operate, and how they could work together with governments and donors. The first part considers the nature and role of non-state providers, and looks at some of the debates around them. A second part focuses on how they deliver education, including whether and how they work with governments, and issues of scaling up. Finally, it considers the literature on how donors can engage with non-state providers.
This page provides an overview of what non-state providers are, how they operate, and how they could work together with governments and donors. The first part considers the nature and role of non-state providers, and looks at some of the debates around them. A second part focuses on how they deliver education, including whether and how they work with governments, and issues of scaling up. Finally, it considers the literature on how donors can engage with non-state providers.
- Mapping of donors' policies and approaches towards non-state service providers
- This document provides an overview of donor agencies' policies towards non-state service providers (NSPs) and the main approaches that they advocate for engaging with them. It is accompanied by an Annex which contains profiles of individual donors' policies. It reports that none of the donors surveyed have general, cross-sectoral policies on engaging with non-state service providers. Explicit policies, where they exist, are sector-specific.
Non-state providers and their role
A wide variety of non-state organisations have become involved in the education sector, ranging from for-profit private schools and private tutoring, to non-government, community-based, and faith-based organisations. These papers describe what is known about NSPs, their scope, influence and accountability in delivering basic services to the poor. Recommended reading...How do non-state providers deliver education?
What distinguishes the content and delivery of education in the non-state sector from that in the state sector? Are NSPs more appropriate in some circumstances than others? How could non-state providers work together with government? Could partnerships between governments and NGOs be used to scale up innovative education delivery ideas developed at the community level into district-wide and national plans? The following readings consider these and other questions relating to the delivery of education by non-state providers. Recommended reading...How can donors engage with non-state providers?
Donors differ in their attitudes towards, and engagement with, non-state providers. Some have preferred to channel education support through NGOs rather than government, especially in fragile states or countries affected by conflict. Others are exploring the possible role that private for-profit schools could play, and supporting governments in buying capacity from private schools. A third approach places more emphasis on partnerships with governments, whilst acknowledging the potential role of non-state providers in complementing national education programmes, or in delivering services in the absence of legitimate governments.The following readings contain case studies of donors setting up or supporting non-state education provision and consider the benefits, risks and limitations of donors forming partnerships with both for-profit companies and non-profit NGOs. Recommended reading...
