PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
Privatization and Marketization of Education
Md Azibar Rahman (181432)
English Discipline, Khulna University
HSS 3153: Education and Development
Professor Md. Samyul Haque
August 25, 2020
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PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
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Abstract
This paper emphasizes on privatization and marketization of education. It describes some
major issues concerning these two systems. The paper concerns the functions of privatization and
marketization in education sector, how they evolved, what are their aspects in developing countries
like Bangladesh, and the advantages and disadvantages of these systems. The paper also explains
how they are related to economy and problems and solutions regarding these systems .
Keywords: Privatization, marketization, education, public education, Development.
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
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Table of Contents
Contents
Page
Abstract................................................................................................................... 2
Table of Contents.................................................................................................... 3
I. Introduction......................................................................................................... 4
II. Privatization....................................................................................................... 4
III. Privatization of Education................................................................................ 4
IV. Exploration of Privatization of Education........................................................ 6
V. Privatization of Education in Bangladesh.......................................................... 7
VI. Privatization of Education in Global Aspects................................................... 9
VII. Advantages and Disadvantages of Privatization of Education....................... 11
VIII. Marketization................................................................................................. 13
IX. Marketization of Education.............................................................................. 13
X. Exploration of Marketization of Education ...................................................... 14
XI. Marketization of Education in Bangladesh...................................................... 15
XII. Marketization of Education in Global Aspects............................................... 16
XIII. Advantages and Disadvantages of Marketization of Education................... 17
XIV. Education and Economy................................................................................ 18
XV. Problems and Solution in Privatization and Marketization of Education
Systems....................................................................................................... 19
XVI. Conclusion...................................................................................................... 20
References............................................................................................................... 21
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
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I. Introduction
Privatization and marketization are two dominant systems of education. While
privatisation is the development of quasi-markets through institutional and policy structures that
privilege parental choice, school autonomy and venture philanthropy, often with the state
regulating for public accountability, marketization is the introduction of market forces in
education, where governments have created policy conditions that promote the development of
quasi-markets in state funded and/or state provided services. So, these are two economy-based
education systems which function following some policies whether set by government or private
organizations.
II. Privatization
Privatization is the transfer of activities, assets and responsibilities from government/public
institutions and organizations to private individuals and agencies. Also privatization is often
thought of as ‘liberalization’ – where agents are freed from government regulations, or as
‘marketization’ – where new markets are created as alternatives to government services or state
allocation systems (Levin, 2001).
The term privatization is also sometimes used to refer to government subcontracting a
service or function to a private firm. It has also been used to describe an unrelated,
nongovernmental interaction involving the buyout, by the majority owner, of all shares of a
holding company's stock- privatizing a publicly traded stock.
Privatization is, in reality, a component of structural programs based on notions of
economic liberalization, free trade, competition and limited government intervention. World Bank
claims that privatization brings more transparent accounting and improved economic performance
and facilitates development goals such as increased investment, GDP, productivity and
employment.
III. Privatization of Education
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
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Privatization of education happens if the state allows and encourages the participation of
the private sector for the supply of public education services. In other words, education can be
privatized if students enrol in private schools or if education is privately funded (Belfield & Levin,
2002).
The trend towards privatization is strong: it is taking place in many countries and within
many sectors of the economy particularly the education sector – because it is a large expenditure
item in Government budget. Education can be privatized if: (a) students enroll at private schools;
or (b) if higher education is privately funded. In the first case, the government no longer provides
schooling; in the second case, the government is no longer funding education through taxpayers’
money or loans. In general, it is helpful to think of privatization in three forms.
1.Private provision
2.Private funding
3.Private regulation, decision-making and accountability
Private Provision
Education can be provided by private agencies; such as privately owned and managed
schools or universities. It need not be provided through government-run institutions; instead,
religious groups could operate private schools, for-profit entrepreneurs, charities, or other
interested parties.
Private Funding
Education can be funded by private individuals rather than through government subsidies.
Privatization may therefore mean that parents pay for schooling rather than the government (via
tax revenues). Often, private schools are supported directly through tuition fees paid by students’
families, but in many cases, both families and governments contribute funds in a cost-sharing
approach.
Private Regulation, Decision-making and Accountability
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
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Education services can be monitored by those who receive the services directly, i.e. the
students and their families. They will make sure that the education is of satisfactory standard –
either by refusing to enrol at poor quality schools (‘exit’) or by demanding a better service . Thus,
privatization can include giving parents more choice over what goes on in schools, or what types
of school are available, even where all these choices are within the public sector. Also,
governments can regulate education: States often set compulsory schooling laws and monitor
schools’ performance through inspection systems, audits and accountability frameworks. Most
privatization policies fall into one of the above three forms. So, privatization of education can be
undertaken by either:

increasing the number and proportion of private providers;

raising the amount of funds contributed directly by the users of the services (i.e. students
and their families) and lowering the amount contributed through subsidies; or

enhancing parental monitoring of schools and school choice over government rules and
regulations. Each of these approaches may be taken simultaneously.
IV. Exploration of Privatization of Education
The main perspectives which argue for privatising education are Neoliberalism and The
New Right. The Neoliberal/ New Right argument is that state-run education is inefficient. They
argue the state’s involvement leads to ‘bureaucratic self-interest’, the stifling of initiative and lowstandards. To overcome these problems the education system must be privatised, and New Right
Policies have led to greater internal and external privatisation.
The basic argument for internal privatisation is that the introduction of Marketization
within education has increased competition between schools and driven up standards.
The basic argument for external privatisation is that private companies are used to keeping
costs down and will run certain aspects of the education system more efficiently than Local
Education Authorities, even if they make a profit. Thus it’s a win-win situation for the public and
the companies.
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
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As many developing countries struggle to guarantee access to good quality education to all
children, developing the private provision of schooling is often regarded as a promising avenue.
In particular, low-cost private schools seem to rise for several reasons related to failures in the
government provision of schooling (Rolleston & Adefeso-Olateju, 2014), be that due to
insufficient school numbers that usually translate into longer journeys (Ngware et al., 2013) (Stern
& Heyneman, 2013) or, frequently, because parents perceive that private schools provide better
quality than public schools (Härmä, 2011; Rolleston & Adefeso-Olateju, 2014) or are simply more
convenient because of opening hours (Ngware et al., 2013).
One implication of privatization is that it leads to a remarkable growth in the creation and
advancement of national assessment and quality assurance systems, seeking to improve the quality
of information that consumers have to make better choices, both at individual and collective levels
(Benveniste, 2002).
Privatization in education usually unfolds in three ways, sometimes simultaneously but not
always. These three ways are:
1. The outsourcing of specific state activities to private providers;
2. The introduction of market-based or other self-regulatory governance instruments
sometimes
3. involving forms of deregulation of the education sector;
The provision of schooling by private organizations, either partially state-funded and in
compliance with public regulations, or independently.
V. Privatization of Education in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is a third world country. It is developing day by day in all sectors including
education sector. In Bangladesh, all citizens must undertake twelve years of compulsory education
which consists of eight years at primary school level and four years at high school level. Primary
and secondary education is financed by the state and free of charge in public schools. Moreover,
higher education is provided here by higher educational institutions.
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
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Along with public schools, private schools have been establishing day by day in
Bangladesh. Though privatization is not a new system of education, in recent eras it has been
developed more.
Lot of facilities have been provided nowadays to public system but no proper strategies to
utilize and maintain it. Due to this, it is turning to be great failure and that is why private systems
are evolving. Private schools are trying to give quality education though it is, really, far from it.
But private schools are giving services more efficient than the public schools. Some public schools
also have proper strategies but these are lower in number and that are located in urban area.
As most of the private schools improved efficiency than that of the public schools, parents
of children from rich family choose to admit their children in public schools. In Bangladesh, along
with Bangla-medium, there are some English-medium schools that are mainly private where all
the courses are taught in English except one Bengali Language subject at ordinary level (O Level).
These schools in Bangladesh follow the General Certificate of Education (GCE) syllabus where
students are prepared for taking their Ordinary Level (O Level) and Advanced Level (A Level)
examinations.
Bangladesh has recently opened English version schools translating board textbooks in
English which are also mainly private schools. Many privately licensed Madrasas are in
Bangladesh which take in homeless children and provide them with food, shelter and education,
e.g. Jamia Tawakkulia Renga Madrasah in Sylhet.
In case of higher education, Bangladesh was one of the dew developing countries to
consider the option of a non-state (private) universities in 1980s. The idea to allow different nonprofit philanthropic organizations to establish fully-fledged universities was first mooted in the
first half of 1981 by the highest level state functionaries. Due to socio-political upheavals in the
1980s, it took almost a decade for the actors (both state functionaries and potential entrepreneurs)
to make this concrete in terms of a parliamentary act in 1992.
This act was to meet up growing demand for higher education and to produce skilled labour
opportunities for the economic development of the nation. The political government of Bangladesh
National Party ( BNP; 1991-1996) first approved the private university in Bangladesh under the
Private University act, 1992. Since then private universities are increasing in number. Along with
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
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general private universities, science and technology universities, engineering universities , marine
and fisheries universities, medical colleges, polytechnic colleges, and colleges are available now
in Bangladesh for higher education.
Students who are the offspring of affluent families choose to admit in private universities.
They obtain degree in exchange of large sums of money. They expend a cost that is very tough to
a child of poor family. The parents of rich family-children never mind to expend a large amount
of money for their children and they see a privilege position in private universities rather than the
national universities or colleges. It is also thought that it is very easy for private university students
to get good grades. That is also a great concerns for students and their parents to admit in private
universities.
However, in Bangladesh private institutions are increasingly day by day. People are
conscious about the competitive world that is why they want their children to get quality education.
Though all the private institutions do not serve properly, some are so good. Some private
institutions try to serve properly. All the private universities should use proper strategies to build
a good nation.
VI. Privatization of Education in Global Aspects
Privatization of education is a worldwide phenomenon. All the developing countries
struggle to guarantee access to good quality education to all children. So, they are interested to
give theirs children proper opportunities through private universities.
It is a global phenomenon with multiple manifestations. Northern and Southern countries
and states with very different educational traditions and regulatory frameworks have promoted
pro-privatization reforms for many reasons—social, political, economic, and educational. Among
the most emblematic policies promoting the role of the private sector in education are charter
schools, voucher schemes, or the contracting of private schools.
Privatization solutions are recommended and advocated by a broad spectrum of actors,
from local interest groups to international organizations and private foundations. In some settings,
even “strange bedfellows” (agents with apparently divergent interests, such as ethnic minority
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
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groups and conservative think tanks) end up advocating for similar forms of education
privatization (Apple & Pedroni, 2005). To all of these different actors, privatization is seen as a
formula to expand choice, improve quality, boost efficiency, or increase equity (or all of these
things simultaneously) in the educational system.
At the same time, however, privatization policies tend to generate opposition and political
dispute. Significant education stakeholders see privatization as a key challenge to the conception
of education as a basic human right and a public good. Further, privatization is a policy that runs
the risk of undermining educational equity, and whose presupposed benefits—whether in terms of
efficiency or quality gains—have not been empirically and rigorously tested globally. Not
surprisingly, different types of organizations, including teachers’ unions, family associations, and
civil society groups, tend to organize themselves against education reforms when they involve
education privatization measures. Of all of the opponents to privatization reforms, teachers’ unions
tend to be the most active because, aside from the potential risks for education quality and equity,
privatization can directly undermine the labour conditions and rights of their members, as well as
the status of the teaching profession more generally speaking.
In academia and in policy circles alike, the general consensus on education privatization is
that it is a phenomenon that is expanding internationally. A general overview of some of the most
relevant existing indicators concerning education provision and spending confirms this trend in
most world locations.
The following six pints can present paths toward education privatization (Verger et al.,
2016):
1. Education privatization as a state reform: the ideological road to privatization in Chile and
the United Kingdom.
2. Education privatization in social democratic welfare states: the Nordic path toward
privatization.
3. Scaling up privatization: school choice reforms in the United States.
4. Privatization by default in low-income countries: the emergence and expansion of low-fee
private schools.
5. Historical public–private partnerships in education: the cases of the Netherlands, Belgium,
and Spain.
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6. Along the path of emergency: privatization by way of catastrophe.
Some countries (e.g., the United States) have a long history of private sector development. In
others (e.g., in Latin America), the private sector appeared a half century ago but saw its greatest
increase in the last decade of the 20th century. In many parts of the world (e.g., Africa and post
communist Europe), private education is a recent phenomenon. The private sector includes nonprofit institutions as well as for-profit or proprietary ones. Propri-etary institutions—with their
market-driven and profit-seeking behaviour, centralized and business like management systems,
and weakened academic culture—are considered to be the pure form of privatization. (Holzhacker
et al., 2009).
VII. Advantages and Disadvantages of Privatization of Education
The most important task in present scenario is to impart better and quality education.
Children are the nation builder of future and to carve them as good citizen it is needed to provide
them with proper education so that they can become pillar of the nation's growth. In this aspect,
there is a wonderful discussion on the above topic. Here are some important points, which should
be taken into consideration while framing the policy.
Privatization in education has increased the opportunities by increasing the scope of
admissions in all levels of education. Due to ownership, level of quality increased in few set-ups
to great extent however, this is not true with all private organizations. Most Private institutions are
meant for financially strong strata of the society and the poor children are bound to go to
government schools. This has widened the gap between the poor and the rich. Most of the parents
of children enrolled in government schools are poor and illiterate. Therefore, there is no one to
assist them at home. Government mechanism is utterly failing in this aspect. Lot of facilities have
been provided nowadays to public system but no proper strategies to utilize and maintain it. Due
to this, it is turning to be great failure. Privatization has no doubt increased the quantity of schools
but quality is yet to be enhanced.
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Though the job opportunities have increased but salary has decreased. Job security and
satisfaction have lost. There seems no freedom for innovations in teaching as the private schools
have their own set rules, methods, which teachers have to follow. Very less chances of upward
mobility. Many times, one has to obey the management where most of the members who are not
qualified to fit into that position. In this system, buttering has become important.
The quality of education in government schools has been degraded drastically as a result
people are opting for private schools. These schools are making education their business which
people generally call Commercialization of Education. However, in field of higher education
situation has not become so worse. Still various Government Colleges and institutions are first
choice for students.
On the other hand, due to government's policy of preferring quantity over quality, private
schools and colleges are growing daily. Getting registration for school is too easy. Influential
people own most of such institutions where goal is to extort money in the name of fees for various
purposes. Even these institutions have become source of converting black money into white.
Many private institutions, which are working for many years and have performed well in
providing quality education without any tantrums of other private schools, are very few.
Government institutions, which are performing comparatively better are very few. Private schools
at big cities are good but quality at small urban areas is not on par. In addition, in many instance
government schools at higher level are performing better than private schools of same areas.
Another most crucial part is scarcity of trained teachers. They do not attend regular classes
and no training is given to them whereas Government teachers are employed in various noneducational works e.g. elections, census etc. Sometimes due to low remuneration (almost one
fourth) of contract teachers, they are disinterested in teaching.
So ultimately seems private schools are better than public schools and no doubt, some of
them are. In state owned schools, it’s just reverse they do not have proper infrastructure and basic
amenities to provide learning environment. Poor management, scarce resources, lack of will power
of teachers deteriorating the quality.
In primary and secondary level, private schools are better than the public schools as there
are scarcities of monitoring public schools. Though lots of facilities have been provided in
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
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government system, there is no proper strategy to utilize and maintain it. This is the reason for
which poor students lack behind. They do not get proper opportunities in public schools. Though
private schools are monitored carefully, the poor students do not get chance to admit here. That’s
why a large number of students, specially in rural area, lack behind from fundamental right and
are to refrained from proper and compulsory education. This is a great threat for a nation as
students are the nation builders.
In higher level of education this scenario is little bit different. Students of all classes get
chance to admit in public educational institutions, e g. public universities. And in public
universities proper strategies are taken and followed to utilize and maintain it. But there is also
fewer and limited number of seats in public universities. That’s why students get admitted to
national universities where students are not monitored at all. But the rich families get special
privileges in this cage. They admit their children in private universities where service is rendered
through tuition fees. Poor students lack behind, like primary and secondly level, in higher
education as well.
VIII. Marketization
Marketization is a restructuring process that enables state enterprises to operate as marketoriented firms by changing the legal environment in which they operate.
This is achieved through reduction of state subsidies, organizational restructuring of
management (corporatization), decentralization and in some cases partial privatization. These
steps, it is argued, will lead to the creation of a functioning market system by converting the
previous state enterprises to operate under market pressures as state-owned commercial
enterprises.
IX. Marketization of Education
Marketization is the creation of a series of policy logics that aim to create quasi-markets in
education. It refers simply to the introduction of market forces in education, where governments
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
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have created policy conditions that promote the development of quasi-markets in state funded
and/or state provided services.
The market form in education is constituted through competition, supply and demand,
producer and consumer behaviour, privatisation and commodification, values and ethics and
distributional outcomes. Marketization, then, is the broad concept under which privatisation and
commercialisation present themselves as logical solutions to ongoing challenges in the provision
of education services.
Indeed, marketization requires more market and less state; more individual responsibility
and less welfare provision; and more focus on the individual and less on the common good. This
market logic explains the shift from top-down, hierarchical education structures to networked
structures where governments redefine themselves as facilitators.
A key aspect of this facilitation is managing contracts between the state and private sector
organisations that steer education policy, develop curriculum and assessment, and operate schools.
X. Exploration of Marketization of Education
Marketization is used to refer to a trend in education policy from the 1980s where schools
were encouraged to compete against each other and act more like private businesses rather than
institutions under the control of local government.
The idea is particularly associated with policies inspired by the New Right and with the
Education Reform Act of 1988 although many argue significant parts of education policy, since
then, have also been about marketization, regardless of which government is in power (e.g.
academies and free schools).
The Neoliberal/ New Right argument is that state-run education is inefficient. They argue
the state’s involvement leads to ‘bureaucratic self-interest’, the stifling of initiative and lowstandards. To overcome these problems the education system must be privatised, and New Right
Policies have led to greater internal and external privatisation that are related to marketization.
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
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The corporatisation and marketization of the universities has also its origins in neo-liberal
politics that is premised on the assumption that the market can replace the democratic state as the
primary producer of cultural logic and value. Neo-liberalism offers a market view of citizenship
that is generally antithetical to rights, especially to state-guaranteed rights in education, welfare,
health and other public goods (Chubb & Moe, 1990; Tooley, 1996, 2000).
Lauder argues that marketization of education arose due to the emergence of the class
system. Parents from rich backgrounds saw the need of taking their children to special schools,
because they offered quality education than state schools (Lauder et al., 1999).
Friedman (2003) in his analysis of Marketization of education agrees with this notion that
the evolution of this style of education is as a result of the liberalization of the structures of
government including economic structures (Friedman, 2003). Liberalism is an aspect of
governance which Karl Marx, many centuries ago predicted will limit the interference of
government in the provision of education services.
To Friedman, marketization of education arose due to the need of allowing free flow of
education. Friedman notes that the combination of marketization, liberalization and privatization
in the education sector ensures that the development prosperity and cooperation is achieved in the
world, because information is shared freely.
XI. Marketization of Education in Bangladesh
Marketization refers to the creation of quasi-markets in education through policy
interventions that create the conditions for these markets to thrive. It is a great phenomenon in the
third world county like Bangladesh. It has a great impact on education and economic sectors.
Privatisation and commercialisation are distinct yet related aspects of the marketization of
education in Bangladesh. Each of these three terms speaks to different aspects of the reorganisation
of public education that has been occurring since the end of the 20th century in Bangladesh.
Privatisation is an approach to bring about the supposed benefits of marketization for
education systems. Proponents of privatisation see it as a legitimate and potentially lucrative means
of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the state.
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
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Commercialisation is big business. Many commercial providers generate large profits for
shareholders by selling goods and services to schools, districts and systems.
While there are many types of commercial activity, the most common are those directed at
teaching, learning and assessment, digital and computer technologies, Professional Development
for teachers and principals, and a variety of services designed to support school administrators.
Private-sector initiative with the establishment of private universities became a new
phenomenon in Bangladesh to fulfil the demand of the market (Tasnima, 2008). In the perception
of marketization, growing private higher education aims to enhance flexibility and effectiveness,
saves public costs and expands private benefits (Chan & Lin, 2015). Since higher education has
always had a relationship with work, in recent decades, the once clear aspects between learning
and business have evolved, and there is a new intimacy between higher education and the business
arena.
Privatization of education has both positive and negative impact. But one fact must be
noted that recent massive expansion of education through private provision has introduced a
horizon of advertisement in education (Svensson, 2002). No police or principle is available for
the advertising policy in education. Consequently market approach is currently being practiced
(Alam 2008).
Besides these, various couching centres, e. g. admission couching, batch-wise private
teaching, tuitions are also related to marketization process in Bangladesh. These have a great
impact on individual level. As the world is now going through a competition, people are trying to
reach at its goals. That’s why parents accept the marketization process to render proper education
to their children. Some individuals get privilege in these system to be developed economically. In
this system both students and the tutors or organizers get some opportunities. Economic
development is a great issue behind this marketization process of education.
XII. Marketization of Education in Global Aspects
Marketization means not only privatisation, transforming education into a new market; it
means also adapting narrowly education to the present, very specific, demands of labour markets;
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
17
and it means using education systems as an instrument to stimulate some markets, especially the
ICT-markets.
Marketization of education is a worldwide phenomenon. In this system, economic
circumstances push the education systems in advanced capitalist countries towards marketization.
Several important common trends lead many countries, specially industrialists and capitalists
countries in Europe, to the process of marketization in education :
1. the most obvious of these trends, is decentralisation and deregulation of education
2. the very fast growth of educational expenses
3. the school-programs, at the objectives of education
4. growing social inequality in school.
5. growing work-orientation of education.
6. the last common trend, where we see education becoming itself a new profitable market:
private teaching, private schools, private management of schools, on-line learning, in one
word: Education business.
Privatisation within education refers to the introduction of free-market principles into the day to
day running of schools around the world. This is basically marketization and includes the
following:
1. Making schools compete for pupils so they become like businesses
2. Giving parents choice so they become consumers (open enrolment)
3. Linking school funding to success rates (formula funding)
4. Introducing performance related pay for teachers
5. Allowing successful schools to take over and manage failing schools
With the decline in the value of manufacturing industry in terms of investment returns, and the rise
of the value of the services sector in both scale and profitability, there is an ongoing movement to
define education as a tradable service worldwide. The pressure to move education from a public
service to a tradable service is very much part of the ideology of the World Trade Organisation
(WTO) General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS), the purpose of which is to liberalise
all service in all sectors of the economy globally (Robertson et al., 2002).
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
18
Over the past 30 years, the United States has witnessed massive economic, political, and
cultural changes. Dominant views of the appropriate relationship between the state and the market
shifted considerably, as proponents of neoliberalism convinced power brokers and the general
public that a strong market, free of government interference, would provide desired prosperity.
More recently, neoliberals have advocated the application of market principles to institutions
formerly reserved as "public," such as schools, some medical services, or prisons (Bartlett et al.,
2002).
Most of the developing countries have the marketization process of education. Lots of fact,
advantage, opportunities are related to it. There is a join effort and purpose of the provider and the
consumer to keep its wheel, e.g. provider's economic development and, consumer’s getting of
quality education for which it is seen that “not only do schools go to business, business comes also
into school. We notice a tremendous growth of diverse forms of commercial presence in the
schools : putting advertisements on the school-walls or upon teaching-material, sponsoring of
activities by private companies” (GMV-Conseil, 1998).
XIII. Advantages and Disadvantages of Marketization of Education:
XIII.I Advantages of Marketization

Competition between schools

Access to admission

Parents’ / customer's choice

Getting privilege

Regulation of educational

Achieving more efficiency

Customers' satisfaction

Effort to render quality education

Moved from centralized control
XIII.II Disadvantages of Marketization
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION

Economy-based system

Quantity over quality

Rural students are mostly deprived of

Lacking of creativity because of strict following of syllabus

Individuals’ economic development

Unequal distribution

Needed large amount of cost
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XIV. Education and Economy
Privatization and marketization are two system of education which are directly related to
economic structure. Marketization is the creation of a series of policy logics that aim to create
quasi-markets in education. And privatisation within education refers to the introduction of freemarket principles into the day to day running of schools. This is basically marketization. So, both
of them are attached with economic development associated with a special group of people or
organizations.
This happened because of decentralization of the structures of government, and less
regulation of the education system due to liberalization of the economy where organizations are
allowed to offer services without regulation from the government (Dewey, 1998).
Friedman (2003) argues that the evolution of this style of education is as a result of the
liberalization of the structures of government including economic structures.
The concepts of economics as a motivator to marketization of education are highly
criticized by Lauder (2006). In an analysis, he argues that economic factors have replaced the
learning aspects of education to more material oriented learning processes, whereby schools
concentrate on how they can achieve customer satisfaction as opposed to impartation of knowledge
and skills (Lauder, 2006).
XV. Problems and Solution in Privatization and Marketization of Education Systems
PRIVATIZATION AND MARKETIZATION OF EDUCATION
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Both privatization and marketization system of education have some noticeable problem
that are highly criticized worldwide. The main problem is that they are based on economic
structure. Middle class parents and students are getting benefits from them but most of the students,
specially rural students, are deprived of them. It is a fact that a group of people or organizations
are being developed through these systems. These systems are increasing the quantity but not
quality. They follow a syllabus organized by the entrepreneurs that’s why the teachers cannot show
their creativity. As it is based on economy, it is very costly and tough for the poor students. A
certain class are getting privilege but most of the classes are lacking behind which is a great
hindrance for any county to be developed.
New policies can solve the problems regarding these systems of education. Moreover, the
authority can make education affordable for all classes of people. Tuition fees and cost of
educational expenses can be reduced. Full free and half free studentship also can be helpful for
poor students .
This problems also can be solved by awareness of government to develop the strategies of
public educational issues. Government has to improve education system in primary and middle
school level. Elementary level of schooling is base, which is most important. It is where student
develops interest in studies and any specific subject. However, government is ignorant on this part.
Lot of facilities have been provided nowadays to public system but no proper strategies to
utilize and maintain it. It is turning to be great failure in education. The government and the
institution management committee should take proper steps to utilize the facilities.
Finally, it should be concerned to make the foundation very strong that is from elementary
school system to higher learning institutions. For this, following measures can be adopted:

To pay proper wages to the teachers.

Proper monitoring over the teaching learning practices in the schools to ensure the quality
of education

Teachers in government schools should really toil to bring the name up so that people will
get encouraged to send their ward in government schools

Finally very strong will power to bring change from the rudimentary level.
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XVI. Conclusion
Privatization and marketization are two important education system, along with public
education system, in the developing countries like Bangladesh. These two systems render special
kinds of opportunities to provide quality education that is very much important in the competitive
world. These systems provide lots of facilities to attain their goal. They are also performing good
in this competitive world. They are trying to render quality education though all the institutions
are not conscious about it. Some are really outstanding in their effort.
Lots of facilities are rendered in privatization and marketization systems but there are some
disadvantages too. As these are economy-based education systems, they cannot distribute products
equally to the consumers and it becomes a point of criticise as well as great disadvantage for the
poor students. These systems widen the gap between poor and rich. However, these systems have
both advantages and disadvantages. To reduce or eradicate the problems new policy can be made
in education systems and the implementation of it can change the luck of a nation as well as the
condition of a developing country.
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