All over the world, there is an urgent need to bring quality education to more people. While public funding is still the backbone to fulfilling this unmet demand, private investors are taking a greater interest in the education sector. The past year has seen a surge in education start-ups as venture capital floods in. However, not everyone is on board with the increasingly prominent presence of private capital in education. The debate over whether the profit motive could be harnessed to improve a public good is far from being settled.
Does private capital have a role to play in widening access to education, raising its quality and unlocking innovation? How can the public sector channel these initiatives to ensure equity?