Whether one is in favor of private education or not, it is here to stay and there is a critical need to understand this new environment. Unfortunately, little is known about the private sector and what its growth implies for the provision of education. There are important questions we need to answer before engaging in productive debate about how education can be best provided in the Pakistani context. For instance: a. Where are private schools setting up? Are they only being established in urban areas and only for the elite? b. What is the quality of education in private sector schools? How does it compare to public schools? c. Are the poor being left out? Is the private sector creating two classes of people in Pakistan—those who can afford private education and those who cannot? d. What is the effect of private schools on government schools?
