Drivers and Demand for Shadow Education: A Case Study of Islamabad-Pakistan

Abstract

Shadow education is a term which metaphorically denotes private tuition. The constitution of Pakistan provides for free education for children; however, their dependents (parents) along with children still pay a cost while paying fee for additionally purchased private tuition lessons. This research aims to understand the demand drivers of shadow education and its associated implicit and explicit costs in the federal capital city of Pakistan, Islamabad. The research methodology consisted of qualitative methods, semi-structured interviews, maximum variation sampling, and thematic data analysis. Parents who sent their children to both public and private schools and also opted for private tuition were considered as primary respondents. Findings showed an overall trust deficit among parents regarding public schools, classroom environment, and teachers’ attitude among which compelled them to invest in private tuition. Whereas parents who enrolled children in private schools indicated themselves as economically stable, and they had wilfully opted for private tuition for the purpose of enrichment of children learning outcomes. The differencing background between rich and poor parents showed that shadow education exacerbates social and economic inequality. In addition to that, it was also revealed shadow education carries explicit (tangible) and implicit (intangible) costs, which must be reviewed in light of article 25A of the constitution of Pakistan.

Keywords: Education, shadow education, private tuition, educational inequality, public education.