That's an excellent question. Many countries experience dynamic privatization in HE. In Croatia private HEIs are perceived as places where you pay not for knowledge but for a diploma. Since they do not really improve the HE quality level I think they need to prove thier value on the market first ang than eventualy get some support.

Why would the public sector pay for private education providers?

It's usually argued that since the roles and responsibilities that private providers assume in terms of producing trained manpower are quite similar with those of public institutions, some form of support should be provided to them.

Sure but if I am a private for profit HEI why would I expect public support raised from taxes? It can only be done, I guess, if there are public sector deficits as is the case in many developing countries. But it is still a subsidy from the public sector to the private sector isn't it?

One of the major reasons for the mushrooming of private higher education institutions across the globe is the public sector's deficiency to meet the continuous demand for higher education. The argument thus goes: If these institutions are supposed to discharge their responsibilities as required, government needs to provide direct and indirect support in the form of tax reductions, student loans, subsidies, etc. Do you have such institutions in your country?

I don't think governments should provide support to private higher education institutions. Two reasons:

1) moral hazard;

2) adverse selection.

Best regards

we do have private schools in Ireland and they do get some government subsidy but it is very controversial with tax payers who pay this subsidy and have to send their kids to less funded public school

anyway where is the evidence that private education providers are more efficient than the state? i do not deny of course the problems of the state sector!

The examples that come to mind are countries in Asia like Japan and South Korea where the higher education sector is dominated by private higher education institutions. Governments have sought the advantage of supporting such institutions in various ways because of the huge burden they're shouldering and in light of their role in saving public money that could have gone to tertiary level if government were to assume the responsibility. Such forms of support should of course come with some cost and need to have some structure- like closer supervision of the activities of the institutions so that the assistance is not abused and providing such assistance on the basis of some criteria. I agree that direct funding to private institutions may be controversial but can't the indirect assistance they are given taken as support provided to the cause of education?

I would certainly agree that higher education played a key role in the rise of the NICs in SE Asia. But was not aware that was private provision.

The western Europe experience is I guess difference where private sector is seen as parasitical on the public.

Do you have PPP's public private partnerships in education?

Yes, Western Europe has never been an example with its public dominated system but I think things are changing slowly. The PPP scheme is assuming an increasing importance even in Africa where exclusive public provision of higher education has been waning since the 1990s.

It is widely known that education is the bed rock of development. it is also a fact that government alone can't provide the needed and the required infrastructural development in the educational sector hence the need for private participation as several governments keep hammering on the fact that private sector is the engine of growth. I am therefore of the view that government should support private higher educational institutions to enable them provide quality education to reduce the pressure on the public institutions. Government can also effectively regulate standards in the private institutions to meet global standards if there is some form of support from government.

Best regards

regulations of standards would indeed be crucial

but how can people access private education if they do not have resources?

Financial support by the government is not desirable. But policy control and regulation is inevitable. The gap between the quality of private and public sector education should be narrowed by government intervention

agreed totally

Institutions are established with a mission of adding to the current stretch of capabilities in the society through another strategic approach. government institutions are often not in the position to absorb all applicants not because of non-performance but lack of facilities.

The private institutions come in to close that gab. There are government bodies which are to ensure teaching and learning in both private and public institutions.

Since students of private institutions are also nationals and do deserve to have their share of the national cake, it would not be wrong for the government to offer assistance to some extent, which would assist teaching and learning in private institutions. Opportunities available to students of government institutions, should be also opened to privates. They are assisting to roll away some government task which they are unable to meet.

The effects of the absence of theses private institutions are uncountable. The glory they bring to the state does not go to the institutions alone but the nation as well.

I can't agree more, Robert. I also feel that private institutions should prove worth the assistance and commitment the society is dedicating to their cause. Regards,

Private HEI must be under control of government. Because private HEI may to ensure high quality of education by hiring excellent professors. However, they put on first place commercial benefit and some cases may just to ignore commonly established rules on education.

Yes Ziyoydin there could be some form of supervision but do you think it will be possible to bring a private business under the full control of the government?

Thanks guys for an enlightening trip so far. I will also be happy to hear more about the experiences of supporting such institutions in your countries- if any.

I thnik bringing private business under the full conrtol of ther governemnt possible, But in this case establishing limitation on education activity will restrict further development. So, government contral must be regulated coming of necessery: where there is conrtol and where not.

Thanks Ziyoydin. Do you have private higher education institutions in your country? How are they managed by the government?