What Does It Take To Deliver a Successful Public-Private Partnership in Education?

This webinar is the second global meeting of the new Non-State Education Community of Practice: the Education Finance Network.

The Education Finance Network convenes diverse education stakeholders with a focus on directing non-state resources toward creating inclusive, high-quality education in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) globally. 

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) have become a widespread form of education core delivery in LMICs. In the past two decades, many countries have implemented policies mandating universal basic education and abolishing public school fees, which has resulted in a rapid surge in enrollment that resource-constrained public school systems have struggled to accommodate. As a result, many LMIC governments have pursued PPPs as a more cost-effective model of expanding access and quality more efficiently, and they have been implemented worldwide with varying degrees of success.

Although PPPs are increasingly perceived as an innovative approach to provide education for all, the rigorous evidence on this question is mixed, with little experimental or quasi-experimental evidence from LMICs. By drawing together findings from a PPP in Zambia, we aim to provide members with a perspective on the conditions for success and challenges that arise from leveraging this instrument. 

This event will serve as:

• A learning opportunity for members to get more context on the modalities of PPPs.
• An opportunity to spotlight the work being conducted by community members.
• A networking moment using breakout rooms.

This 60-minute webinar is scheduled on Thursday, June 9, at 9:00am EDT / 2:00pm BST / 4:00pm EAT / 6:30pm IST.

Note that this event is exclusive to Education Finance Network members only.

Event recap  

In the first members-only Education Finance Network event, panelists discussed evidence and experiences surrounding Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in education and how PPPs can contribute to improved learning outcomes for the most disadvantaged students. The panel discussion, moderated by Aashti Zaidi from the Global Schools Forum, was followed by two breakout group discussions: how to achieve equity in PPPs; and balancing autonomy and regulation in PPPs.

Key take-aways from the event

• Evidence shows that PPPs expanded access to education in low- and middle-income countries, but findings are mixed with regards to their effectiveness in contributing to learning outcomes. In some contexts, PPPs may increase existing educational inequalities.
• Regulation can help ensure the benefits of PPPs while promoting equity, but it is necessary to ensure that there is capacity to monitor and enforce policies.
• A healthy PPP ecosystem requires a clear policy framework, regulatory capacity within the government, availability of high-quality private providers, and political will to learn and adapt. 

If you wish to join future EFN discussions and are striving to create inclusive, high-quality education in low- and middle-income countries globally, we encourage you to apply for membership.