This thesis focuses on the private sector because it is felt
that it's contribution to the advancement of education on the African continent
in enormous and have not been given appropriate consideration from educational
stakeholders, governments and donors. Many scientific works have been done on
private educational provision in the developing world and some are still under
research. All the reports note that there is a mushrooming of private schools
catering for low income families across Africa. The review of the literature,
making
the second chapter of this thesis points out some of these
arguments. Based on these, it may appear that private schools in Africa are
much more preferred by the target audience to the detriment of government
schools. Several reasons given to consolidate this trend are likely related to
governments' inability to provide quality education in the developing
countries. Teachers' absence, lack of motivation, distance schools, overcrowded
classrooms, underground fees; these are some of the reasons behind the massive
return observed in private schools of Africa and across other developing
countries.
On its own, the private sector seems to be doing well.
Existing literature depicts a mitigating picture on this form of provision. On
one hand ,a set those advocating the merits of private schools for the poor
championed by Tooley and Dixon and on the other hand, another set of scholars
condemning to the lists extend the efforts done by private schools in the
Universal primary Education campaign. This set of scholars is headed by Lewin,
Pauline Rose and Watkins.
It then appears very challenging and exciting to carefully
analyse the positions of all these scholars in the light of effective research
so as to be able to come out with precise information on the role played by the
private sector in fostering education for All (EFA) especially in Africa where
many western efforts towards achieving development have up till date failed.
1.4 Why Kenya (Kibera)?
The approach given to the study has chosen the slum of Kibera
in Kenya for many reasons. First of all Kenya seem to be in the spot light
since it has been chosen as model of development in terms of educational
provision in Africa by many world leaders, influential politician and pop
stars. The declaration of the former US president, Bill Clinton actually
contributed a lot to fuel curiosity on the typical case of this country. In an
interview given to an American Television, the latter said he said the person
he most wanted to meet was
president Kibaki of Kenya «because he abolished school
fees» which «would affects more lives than any president had done or
would ever do...»1. The declaration preceded actions from other
institutions. In fact, some financial donation from the World Bank and the
British government of worth $55m and £20m respectively were publicly
announced, in support to the Free Primary Education Campaign.
Secondly, the Free Primary Education campaign was launched in
Kenya in the year 2003 with the aim of covering the educational needs of the
population. This was to be a specificity of the new elected administration
headed by president Kibaki and had as focus all the government schools. Based
on past research in this country and current ones under research at the EG West
centre by James Stanfield and others, we were curious to find out if the
political and media propaganda surrounding the project had had the merit to be
so much highlighted. We equally wanted to know if the astronomical budget
allocated at this effect couple with international aid had boosted the
educational sector of Kenya.
Finally, Kibera from developmental perspectives is the
biggest slum in East Africa with a population estimated between 220,000 to
250,000 inhabitants living together in a perimeter of 2.3 And 2.5 sq
Kilometres. It was felt that a study in such area would depict a true picture
of how poor people educational priorities and which choice they make in
fulfilling these priorities.
