Do Private Markets Improve the Quality or Quantity of Primary Schooling in Sub-Saharan Africa

This paper examines the role of private schools in primary education in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). All SSA countries have committed to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which include gender equity in access in to schooling by 2005, and universal primary education (UPE) by 2015. Previous research suggests that private schools in countries with low supply provide low-quality alternatives to public schools. This study examines the use of private schools in primary education in Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia. The results indicate that the role of private schools varies more than previous theories suggest. The impact of private markets on the quality and quantity of schooling varies with context of the public education system.