Constrained by limited government support and new policy directions, the privatization tendencies of public higher education systems has now become common in many parts of the world. What would be the implications of this new trend and is there any chance of going back to the old days where the responsibilities of providing higher education was mainly under the government's trust?
Dear Wondwosen
In fact, there are positive and negative effects of the privatization of the education sector
Positive effects:
Increasing the capacity of the educational system in the country, which is interested in privatizing its educational sector to international competition.
Improve teaching and educational efficiency in universities, schools and educational institutions
Developing the educational efficiency of teachers and lecturers
Minimize the bureaucracy of the public sector
negative effects:
Increase tuition fees, allowing only those who are able to learn
Weak influence of discipline instruction in educational institutions
The possibility of low wages for teachers and teachers
Yes, Prof. Very good points but what's your overall feeling about this trend?
In the era of globalization, countries are moving towards modernizing and privatizing all sectors, including education, in order to keep pace with global developments
I am with the implementation of the concept of privatization in educational institutions provided that the state does not withdraw permanently from its role in the monitoring and follow-up of educational institutions
Greetings
Interesting ideas! In what ways do you think privatization can also result in mission drift of public institutions that depended in the earlier days on the government for most of their resource needs?
Keep in mind that of the nations with better reading, math, and science scores than U.S., none did it by privatizing education. In fact, they did it through stronger unions (teacher and administrator), feeding kids nutritious meals, more teacher pay and training.
Dear Sam,
But the current trend (if I understood it correctly) looks as though these forms of providing education are giving way to privatization- slowly but surely. How can we maintain the best of the past implied in your examples?
@ G. Sam Sloss :
I am really interested to know more about the nations mentioned..who are they..What stimulated their thoughts on doing it through the approaches mentioned?
Privatization of education will, over the long run, increase social inequality. For more than a century public education systems have been the main avenue to social mobility. Diluting this function will almost certainly exacerbate social division and antagonism.
John Harrison, Sociologist
Asian nations typically and still are at top rankings. They did it with many hours of instruction. But Finland went from low to high using "unorthodox" methods. Methods that should work well in much of the U.S. Here is one story on how they did it. http://www.businessinsider.com/finland-education-school-2011-12/#finnish-children-dont-start-school-until-they-are-7-1
Here is a better link. http://www.businessinsider.com/finland-education-beats-us-2017-5/#1-competition-isnt-as-important-as-cooperation-1
Finland also provides free meals for school kids. Can't learn if you are hungry. Some U.S. schools are starting to give free meals to all students. Some are going beyond lunch to include breakfast and even after school meals. There have been recent newspaper accounts on this trend.
I have to admit that I don't get the exact gist of your question. By privatization you mean: private supply, private financing, both? With regards to the former, unlike school education, higher education scores relatively well both on perfect info, as well as perfect markets and competition. As for the latter, tax-financed higher education may have regressive effects, hit the limits of what can be achieved, and (despite some externalities) students can pay for what they consume. But the discussion is both complex and difficult to summarize in few lines. For a short overview, see Nicholas Barr's (2012) excellent Economics of the welfare state.
Thank you for recommending a resource and sorry if I haven't made myself clear.
Privatization within the public sector is understood as the opening up of public education services to private sector participation on a for-profit basis and using the private sector to design, manage or deliver various aspects of public education. It also refers to the importing of ideas, techniques and practices borrowed from the private sector that could make the public sector more business- oriented. The practice goes under many guises including such features as setting up business units in public institutions for diversification of resources, cost sharing, contracting out , etc. It is this new trend that worries many people within the public that I’m talking about.
Regards
I suspect the short answer, at least in the UK, is "probably not". The full answer is very complicated and I'm not really equipped to provide one. I suspect that the state's level of involvement rises and falls over time. Yet the state actually has little direct control. Its only real power comes from its financial backing for students and research. What actually goes on in the Universities remains their business.
A better answer may be available from the Cervepas website which is linked to the Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris. I think some people there did do something down this road. But I cannot remember for sure.
It's an interesting and important question. I hope your project goes well!
Best wishes
Christopher Nock
I had remembered correctly! Cervepas did publish on this subject in relation to the UK. You can find out more by going to it's website or Catherine Coron on Research gate.
Chris NOCK
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