Education
Public or Private Education: A Pragmatic View
Natasha argues for pragmatism in this debate. While there may be a theoretical case for public education, there is no inherently better model. Universal public education, as a value, should not interfere with choosing whatever works best in a given situation. Let the perfect not be the enemy of the good.
Rebuttal: Education and the State
My last two posts (here, here) on the role of the state in providing education and conversely questioning that of the private sector, resulted in some very illuminating responses from both sides of the spectrum. As a result, I will soon followup with an additional post highlighting previously unaddressed issues in this debate (and welcome other […]
Proving the Worth of Public Education
Liberal economists suggest our public schools are terrible, and private schools are the answer. Yet, sufficient evidence exists that public schools are, in many cases, even better than private ones.
Education and the State: Seeking Balance
The failure of India’s primary education system deserves a solution. Yet, privatization is neither necessary, nor sufficient, and cannot be embarked upon without debating the desired balance between quality and equity.
Two Approaches to Improving Education
India has announced major investments in education. Given the scale of needs, the government rightly believes in focusing on well-tested methodologies, rather than on risky bets such as the OLPC.
The Economist on Private Sector Quotas
For over a year controversy has raged in India over government plans to extend quotas - India’s version of affirmative action for the lower castes - to the private sector. The plans raised the hackles of many, and for the first time led to questioning the real effectiveness of quotas. Now, the Economist has weighed […]
Education Reform: A Problem with School Choice
For those that are interested in education, “school choice” is the new buzzword. And with school choice come “education vouchers.” For economists of all hues, these two together are the solution to all that ails our (Indian or American) schools. So loud is the rhetoric, in fact, that nobody really questions whether school choice and […]
Income Inequality in Asia Growing
The ADB has just released a report titled “Key Indicators 2007: Inequality in Asia” (covered in IHT and BBC). The report concludes that the gini index, a measure of relative inequality had grown in all 15 countries studied, since the 1990s. More alarmingly, absolute inequality had grown even more. The bank identified the trend as […]
