Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are often pitched as win-win solutions: private investment builds or supports schools, while public dollars ensure access. In theory, this means faster construction, innovative programming, and shared risk.
The Reality Check
Profit motives vs. public good: Private partners need returns, which can shape decisions about who benefits and how.
Long-term costs: While upfront expenses may shrink, contracts can lock governments into decades of payments that far exceed the original build price.
Accountability gaps: When responsibilities are blurred, it’s not always clear who’s responsible when things go wrong—the board, the province, or the private partner.
Community Impact
PPPs can create modern facilities, but critics argue they can also shift control away from communities. For example, rental contracts for school space, restrictions on use, or reliance on private service providers can limit flexibility.
The Big Question
Are PPPs a pragmatic way to fund education in a world of stretched budgets, or do they represent a slow privatization of public schooling that puts profits over students?
Public-Private Partnerships
The Promise
Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are often pitched as win-win solutions: private investment builds or supports schools, while public dollars ensure access. In theory, this means faster construction, innovative programming, and shared risk.
The Reality Check
Community Impact
PPPs can create modern facilities, but critics argue they can also shift control away from communities. For example, rental contracts for school space, restrictions on use, or reliance on private service providers can limit flexibility.
The Big Question
Are PPPs a pragmatic way to fund education in a world of stretched budgets, or do they represent a slow privatization of public schooling that puts profits over students?