Privatisation Of Education

Question 1

How has education become blurred in public/private boundary?

Answer 1

• Senior officials in public sector have left to set up work for private sector education businesses
• Introduction of academies has led to blurred public/private boundary E.g. Private corporations

Question 2

What does Pollack note about the public/private boundary?

Answer 2

• Flow of personnel allows companies to buy ‘insider knowledge’ to help with contracts
• Side-stepping local authority democracy

Question 3

How has education become privatised and globalised?

Answer 3

• Ball; Pearson GCSE exam answers are now marked in Sydney + Iowa
• Buckingham + Scanlon; UK’s 4 leading educational software companies are all owned by global multinationals
• Contracts for educational services in UK are sold by original company to overseas companies

Question 4

What does Molnar argue about ‘Cola-isation?’

Answer 4

• Schools are targeted by private companies

- Schools have become a kind of product endorsement

Question 5

What does Ball argue about ‘Cola-is ation?’

Answer 5

Cadbury’s sports equipment promotion was scrapped after it was revealed pupils would have to eat 5,440 chocolate bars to qualify for volleyball posts

Question 6

What does Beder argue about ‘Cola-isation?’

Answer 6

UK families spent £110,000 in Tesco supermarkets in return for a single computer for schools

Question 7

Why does Ball argue education has become a commodity?

Answer 7

• Fundamental shift is taking place, privatisation is shaping educational policy
• ‘Legitimate object of private profit-making’

Question 8

How do Marxists see Coalition Government educational policies?

Answer 8

• Hall; Coalition government policies are part of the ‘long march of the neoliberal revolution’
• Academies hand over public services to private capitalists

Question 9

How has the impact of neoliberalism been identified by ‘Marketisation?’

Answer 9

• 1988 ERA; Introduced an internal market within education
• State schools would act more like private businesses
• Most school are delivered by state through local authorities

Question 10

How has the impact of neoliberalism been identified by ‘Privatisation?’

Answer 10

• Private companies/voluntary organisations deliver education in 2 roles
• Commissions educational services as contracts for private bidders
• Acts as a regulator, setting standards E.g. Ofsted inspections