One of the most amazing experiences I've had over the past few years involved visiting private schools in the Kibera slums of Nairobi. If anyone had asked me, ten years ago, if I believed that there were private, for-profit, schools in places like Kibera I'd have thought they were joking -- religious schools maybe, but not for-profit ventures. Afterall, how could poor families pay the tuition for the schools? In fact, I'd have been wrong. (This picture, by Walter LeCroy, shows a group of school children at one of Kibera schools we visited in 2007. )
In Kibera, in the poor areas of Hyderabad, India, in the slums of Lagos, Nigeria, and throughout the developing world, educational entrepreneurs have built schools to meet the needs of poor families. These schools may not have great facilities (floors may be dirt, children may be crowded at shared desks where they share books, there may little room to run or play) but they do have other signficant benefits: good levels of parental involvement, educators who are motivated to ensure that students learn skills that parents think are important (often English), and very good educational outcomes compared to local public schools. Private schools are a good option for many poor parents in the developing world because they offer something that public-sector schools do not: an environment in which children can and do learn. The benefits of this kind of schooling exceed the costs parents incur.
If you'd like to learn more about these amazing educational entrepreneurs I recommend a new book by Dr. James Tooley called The Beautiful Tree. Here is a short review of the book. I've had the priviledge of hearing Jim speak on several occasions and have consulted with him and with his partner, Dr. Pauline Dixon, a few times over the past several years. His/their passion for improving educational opportunities for the poor is infectious. It's their work that led me to Kibera (with a group of friends who were similiarly impressed by Jim and Pauline). Here's a BBC report on Jim's work.
I have The Beautiful Tree on my bedstand and can't wait to get started.
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