Relative Effectiveness of Private and Public Schools: Evidence from Two Developing Countries

摘要

The report estimates quality differences between private and public secondary schools in two developing countries, Colombia and Tanzania. Quality is measured by student performance on standardized achievement tests. Focus is on the sample-selection aspects of making quality comparisons. Estimated sample-selection effects suggest that Colombian students sort themselves by type of institution (private or public); but Tanzanian students appear to be selected by a hierarchical mechanism, with the worst students entering private institutions. These effects are consistent with the different institutional frameworks for educational choice in these countries. For each country, private schools offer an achievement advantage. By standardizing for differences in student and school attributes, private-school students have higher achievement test scores. (Copyright (c) 1989 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank.)