Dar es Salaam. The critical importance of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the education sector is underscored by the pressing need to bridge significant funding and quality gaps in developing nations.
In a comprehensive Rapid Evidence Review conducted in February 2026, Aurin Huq of the Institute of Development Studies explored how these arrangements can be leveraged to support the Basic Education sector in Tanzania.
The study was prompted by the observation that Tanzania’s 2022-23 education budget was only 13.59 percent of the total budget, falling short of the international standards set by the Incheon Declaration.
To address this, Huq utilized a desk-based methodology involving six days of intensive research into academic literature and consultations with specialists to synthesize the most relevant evidence from across Africa and beyond.
The overall discussion of the study centers on the "theory of change" that drives these partnerships.
As the review notes, the underlying philosophy suggests that “through utilising the financial capacity of the public sector and the management capacity of the private sector, better schooling for all children is ensured.”
The central premise is that no single partner possesses all the strengths required to deliver quality education independently.
These partnerships take various forms, from simple infrastructure and management contracts to complex "full-service delivery arrangements" such as voucher schemes or charter schools, where the government funds non-state providers to deliver services of defined scope and quality.
Findings from the study area, which spanned countries including Uganda, Pakistan, South Africa, and Tanzania, demonstrate the transformative potential of well-structured PPPs.
In Uganda, the PEAS (Promoting Quality in Access in African Schools) program has been remarkably successful in reaching marginalized populations.
The review highlights that “the PEAS programme has improved access for children from disadvantaged backgrounds,” noting that “three out of five PEAS students are in the poorest two quintiles of household asset distribution.”
Similarly, in Pakistan, the Punjab Public School Support Programme (PSSP) represented a massive policy shift by transferring over 4,000 underperforming schools to private management.
This initiative resulted in a staggering 78 percent rise in enrollment within its first year.
However, the review also provides in-depth lessons on the risks of poorly regulated privatization.
The failure of Bridge International Academies (BIA) in Uganda serves as a stark warning.
The Ugandan government ordered the closure of 63 BIA schools due to a “disregard for the country’s legal integrity and state sovereignty,” as well as “poor hygiene and sanitation, which put the life and safety of the school children in danger.”
The review further critiques the BIA model, stating that its “academy-in-a-box approach to educating the poor contradicts the moral and human rights-based imperative of providing quality universal education.”
“These failures emphasize that PPPs must be grounded in transparency and respect for national standards,” according to the review.
Additional country-specific insights reveal the nuance required for sustainable success.
In Rwanda, PPPs successfully expanded access in rural areas, but they now face “sustainability risks as post-genocide subsidies decline,” suggesting that gains can be lost without long-term public financing.
In Sierra Leone, the study found that faith-based providers are essential, particularly in “conflict-affected countries where government capacity is weakened by war,” due to their long-term community commitment.
Meanwhile, in Kenya, the strategic use of university land assets has successfully attracted private investment for student hostels, significantly reducing the financial burden on the state.
Based on these findings, the review offers critical recommendations for policy design in Tanzania and similar contexts.
A study in Tanzania’s Kigamboni Municipality concluded that success depends on “strengthening the capacity of local stakeholders and promoting awareness of PPP roles.”
Furthermore, Huq emphasizes that “strong quality control mechanisms are essential, such as regular quality assurance testing linked to continued public funding” to prevent "cream-skimming," where the poorest students are excluded.
The establishment of a “credible PPP Unit” is also vital, as such a unit should have “clear direction and decision-making authority, not just an advisory function” to effectively recruit partners and monitor performance.
The review concludes that PPPs matter in the education sector because they offer a viable path to improve access and management in resource-constrained environments.
However, as Huq’s review demonstrates, they are not a panacea. For these partnerships to be effective, governments must “balance accountability and regulation with sufficient flexibility” to allow for innovation while ensuring that education remains a fundamental human right accessible to the most marginalized.
