Although it may seem counterintuitive, nearly three times as many primary school children are enrolled in private schools in developing countries than in developed ones, according to United Nations figures.
Across Africa, an average of 16 percent of young people in education attend private schools and in some countries the figure is much higher. In Liberia, for example, 60 percent of secondary school enrollments are private, while the figure is 50 percent in Sierra Leone and 40 percent in Burkina Faso, according to World Bank data.
However, these are not the kind of private schools with smart uniforms and expensive trips. Many are set up in remote, rural locations not served by government schools, and they include both fee-paying and donor funded non-state options. Evidence shows their numbers have been growing dramatically in some countries in recent years.
About the author
Sophie Edwards
Sophie Edwards is a Devex Contributing Reporter covering global education, water and sanitation, and innovative financing, along with other topics. She has previously worked for NGOs, and the World Bank, and spent a number of years as a journalist for a regional newspaper in the U.K. She has a master's degree from the Institute of Development Studies and a bachelor's from Cambridge University.
