Local Entrepreneurs in Sindh

Context and Problem

Sindh, the southernmost province of Pakistan, suffers from low school enrollment, particularly for girls, and low student achievement. Students who do attend school do not necessarily enjoy their experience of gaining knowledge of the modern requirements. This is due to several reasons, including poor infrastructure and poor training in teachers. However, the provincial government's initiative to improve access to education through public-private partnerships (PPP) with private providers and entrepreneurs is a promising step forward.

Solution

Local entrepreneurs played a pivotal role in the solution, opening and operating primary schools in underserved villages. These schools, offering tuition-free education, became accessible to all children in the town. Each school received a fixed per-student subsidy to cover operating costs, with half of the villages receiving a higher subsidy for a female student to encourage their parents to enroll them. The entrepreneurs were given the freedom to manage schools, including hiring teachers and managing resources. The local school operators were provided with leadership and teacher training, free teaching and learning materials, and monitoring visits to assess school attendance and compliance.

Impact

The impact of the program was significant. Enrollment increased by 32% for children aged 5 to 10, a clear indication of the program's success in reaching more students. Test scores also saw a substantial rise, increasing by 0.63 standard deviations, equivalent to 23.6%. The mean test scores in villages increased from 46.9% to 66.7%, further demonstrating the program's positive impact on student achievement. Children induced to enroll in school due to the program experienced test score gains of nearly 2 standard deviations, showing the program's effectiveness in improving learning outcomes. Both boys and girls benefited equally from the program, with no significant difference in educational outcomes between the gender-uniform and gender-differentiated subsidy treatments. Moreover, almost all children who were previously enrolled in government schools switched to program schools, indicating a clear preference for the higher quality of education offered in the program schools.

The success of the program in Sindh demonstrates its potential for scalability in other regions of Pakistan. By fostering collaborations and getting more entrepreneurs on board, the program can be extended to reach more underserved communities. The strategies adopted, such as providing flexibility to entrepreneurs in school management and incentivizing girls’ enrollment, can be replicated to ensure its success.  The private-public partnership model aligns incentives for both governments and private providers, showing promise for improving educational outcomes while keeping costs low. To ensure the sustainability of the program, continued investment in teacher training and monitoring is crucial. Sustained government financial support is necessary to maintain the program’s success, but the potential for positive change is clear.