Low Cost Schools Transforming Lives of Children

The moment we hear Private school it makes us feel that these can only be afforded by a certain well to do section of the society. However, this thought has been proven wrong across developing countries, where low cost schools are found everywhere and are affordable to all.

This low cost private school has truly become a global phenomenon, from the slums of Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, the mountain villages of South East Asia or the Barrios of Central and Latin America, imparting education to a huge number of children. In India alone there are an estimated 400,000 low cost private schools reaching out to 30% of the rural population as well as 70% in urban areas.

Poor parents now prefer to send their children to low cost private schools rather than the Government run schools as they want schools to be accountable along with them and provide standards of education and discipline. Something that they usually do not find in the Government run schools. Mostly the Government run schools are largely dysfunctional with absenteeism of teachers and lack of interest in teaching as well. It has also been found that the low cost private schools children fare significantly better than the ones going to government run schools.

The most important group that has made a remarkable impact on low cost private school is Bridge International Academies led by J Kimmelman. Bridge operates more than 600 such low cost schools in five countries including India.

By: Madhuchanda Saxena

Content: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomvanderark/2018/08/06/low-cost-schools-are-transforming-africa/#5805c5876e4d