Public Private Partnerships in School Education: The Accountability Question

PPPs in education (ePPPs) are on the rise. From the handing over of the staffing and management of state-run schools to private ‘partners’, to voucher-based public education systems, to charter schools and academies, an... [ view full abstract ]

PPPs in education (ePPPs) are on the rise. From the handing over of the staffing and management of state-run schools to private ‘partners’, to voucher-based public education systems, to charter schools and academies, an entire range of PPP arrangements are making their presence felt across the world. The debate on the role of PPPs in education appears to revolve around the twin issues of cost efficiencies and learning outcomes. Claims and counterclaims continue to be made on both these concerns, and the only consensus to emerge so far is that the evidence remains inconclusive. Consequently, there is an impasse in the debate, with the battle lines essentially being drawn along ideology rather than being based on any ‘objective’ criteria.

Given this stalemate, one way forward is to approach the issue through the accountability lens. While there is complete agreement that meaningful public accountability is central to the functioning of any education framework, how this can (or cannot) be achieved effectively in the realm of ePPPs remains unclear. The question is complicated further by empirical observations that indicate that public accountability in ePPPs could (in some cases at least) be better realised through informal mechanisms rather than formal, institutionalised tools.

This paper will present the interim findings of an 18-month long research project that is investigating precisely this question: To what extent and in which forms can meaningful social accountability be realised in ePPPs?

This research is being carried out through the Open Society Foundations Fellowship and includes Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, India, South Africa, South Korea, United Kingdom and the United States as its field sites. The paper will draw heavily on a cross-sectoral workshop being held in Johannesburg at the end of November 2015 as a part of this research project.