Private education growing rapidly in OECD countries

July 31, 2012

Free Market Foundation

Growing numbers of people are completing upper secondary education in all Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. However, among 25 to 34-year-olds the proportion of persons without an upper secondary qualification (28%) is only half the size of that among 55 to 64 year-olds (55%). A significant minority remains without upper secondary qualifications. In Mexico, Turkey, Portugal, Spain and Italy, between 75% and 45% of 25 to 34-year olds lack an upper secondary qualification.

The increased educational opportunities go hand in hand with growing private sector involvement in education in the OECD countries:

Private spending on tertiary institutions now exceeds 30% in a number of countries, including Korea, Japan, the U.S., Australia, Canada and the U.K.

In Japan, more than half of all final funds for tertiary institutions originate from private sources and in Korea the figure exceeds 80%.

There is a growing trend for governments to leave the management of schools to the private sector.

On average, 13.5% of primary and secondary students are now enrolled in private education institutions, 10.6% in schools that are still predominantly government financed but privately managed.

In Belgium, 58% of primary and secondary students attend privately managed but government-funded schools, while in the Netherlands this ratio rises to 76%.

In Australia, Korea and Spain more than 20% of pupils attend private schools.

Source: Education at a Glance OECD Indicators 2001 Edition. Available from the OECDs Directorate for Education, Employment, Labour and Social Affairs (tel. 33 1 45 24 93 66).

FMF\10 July 2001