Public or Private? Or… does it even matter?

Our society places Private education above Public education for a number of reasons that can be easily justified. These reasons being, that something private and expensive is representing something better, prestigious, and in terms of educational outcomes – more beneficial. But is this really the case? And is it really the type of schooling that impacts a student’s educational achievements? Let me first provide a noodle analogy to represent this process:

I often find myself at the super market holding premium noodles in one hand and regular cheaper noodles in the other. In my mind, the more expensive premium noodles perpetuate something luxurious and better then the latter, cheaper option. But when I get home and begin eating my premium noodles, I notice that they taste exactly the same as the cheaper stuff. Of course, the premium noodles have more stuff in it to taste, thereby providing me a better noodle experience, but in the end, the taste of the noodles themselves, the stuff you want, tastes the same. Not to mention, they both fill you up. So i begin asking myself why people buy the premium noodles, and also begin asking myself why people think throwing your child into a private system will equate to a better educational outcome. 

So society places a distinction between Private and Public schooling, and so it should as each is represented differently within our educational system in terms of their income, staff, culture, educational outcomes, and their social representation, or rather, there ranking. Of course examination of each of these supports that there is clearly a distinction between private and public (Jimenez & Lockheed, 1995). And indeed, just as in the noodle analogy we see that the premium experience is what it is, premium. But in a meritocratic society like ours, regardless of whether it is private or public we are exposed to the same system, the same noodles, and so the same opportunity to get full and be successful. However one must keep in mind that although we are exposed to the same system in Public and Private, that Private schooling provides a better opportunity to succeed with all the advantages or luxuries it provides. However does this advantage have a great impact on student’s educational outcomes? Jimenez & Lockheed (1995) argue that, “the impact of background on achievement gain can reinforce or counteract the private-public differential”, and continues to suggest that although Private schooling provides more features, it is the family background and social economic status of those who have access to Private education that allows them to achieve more. 

To elaborate this, although there are distinctions between the Private and Public school, these distinction are of little concern when one evaluates the educational outcomes of students. Instead, what is of great concern, is the Social economic status and family background of the student. Which is referring to how in Private education, the students are often of a higher class, and as such, they may have greater opportunities such as tutors and there family background may be represented by successful parents or role models that perpetuate a drive to succeed that the student may incorporate into his educational life. 

This perspective is represented in an article by Cosima Marriner of the Sydney Morning Herald (Link: http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/private-schools-no-guarantee-of-higher-naplan-scores-study-finds-20131012-2vf63.html ) who states that:

“After controlling for factors like household income, health indicators and parent education level, researchers found there was no statistical difference in the academic achievement of children from similar backgrounds, regardless of which type of school they attended.”

And suggests that the factors arising from a family background are the most important when assessing a student’s academic achievement. Thereby to answer the original question; Private and Public schooling, although providing a different experience in terms of luxury and quality, in the end that luxury and quality is not so impacting, on a student’s academic achievements. And that it is the household and the social economic status of the family that may play the greatest role in a student’s achievements. So should it matter whether an individual goes private or public, or should we be placing a greater emphasis on understanding the disparities between those households of private and public students? In doing so we can attempt to understand what really matters in this noodle-like debate. 

References:

 Jimenez, E., & Lockheed, M. E. (1995). Public and Private Secondary Education in Developing Countries:  Comparative Study (Vol. 309). World Bank-free PDF.

Article:

http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/private-schools-no-guarantee-of-higher-naplan-scores-study-finds-20131012-2vf63.html