2022 GEM South Asia Report: Non-state actors in education

Developed with six prominent partners from five countries with the Central Square Foundation (India), Centre for Policy Research (India), Institute for Policy Studies (Sri Lanka), BRAC (Bangladesh), Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (Pakistan) and the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (Nepal), the regional report on non-state actors in education offers a deep dive into the influence, impact and role of non-state actors in education. The region has the highest share of primary and secondary education enrolment in private institutions, a large and growing private sector involvement at other levels of education, and substantial non-state policy influence. The theme will be assessed within the context of the region’s specific characteristics: limited trust in government, low regulatory capacity, low public spending in education, historically major role of non-state actors in education provision; and strong competition in education and employment.

Eight country studies have fed into the report covering Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In addition, three thematic studies were commissioned for the report on India (government regulation and accountability; low fee private schools; and public-private partnerships in TVET), one on ancillary services in Pakistan, and one on teacher education in the region. The regional report includes up-to-date information referencing COVID-19, noting that the region’s private providers were particularly hit by the pandemic.