Private Schools in the Slums - Do they provide an effective primary educational service?: A case study of Aguablanca in Cali, Colombia

Abstract: Education in developing countries, as in all countries, is of great importance for future growth. The role of private providers of education in the developing world, particularly those focusing on the urban poor, is increasingly recognized as a factor in addressing the challenge of achieving Education for All. A case study of the extent and quality of the educational sector in Aguablanca in Cali, Colombia, confirms previous findings of the positive role that the private providers play. The private sector's share of schools and pupils is found to constitute a clear majority. Equally significant is the finding that the private schools perform better on two indicators of quality: teacher activity and pupil-teacher ratio. Ambiguous results were conveyed concerning material inputs. Considering that the government financed schools have more resources at their disposal these findings merit further attention. Even more so since these results are in congruence with previous studies, thus indicating that an interesting new field is only just being revealed.