Tapping the private sector

 

Working with the private sector in education is not limited to funding. In countries as diverse as the USA and South Africa private companies invest in local schools, educational experiments and special needs. However, the key for building joint efforts lies in sharing common goals. The panel emphasized that the private sector has particular characteristics:

business likes to focus on concrete results, achieved in a relatively short space of time;

broad involvement is motivating – providing expertise, technical help and practical volunteers;

input into the local community and a contribution to society can be important aspects of a business’s overall performance and image.

The business community is more than ready to understand the issues but need to be considered as allies from the early stages of planning, not merely as an afterthought for signing cheques.

Presentations:

Partnerships with the private sector on EFA by Serge Peano of the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning

Partnerships with the private sector in EFA by Hylton Appelbaum, The Liberty Group, South Africa