Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

Difference Between Government and Private School

Government vs Private School
 

Every parent preparing to admit his or her child to school is very much interested in knowing the difference between government school and private school. Education perhaps is the most important edifice upon which the future of a child depends. That is why when past the nursery stage, it becomes a vital decision for parents to choose between the two types of schools that are there in most of the countries. There are the government aided schools, and then there are privately run schools. There is no single formula to let parents assess the two types of schools and choose with confidence as every country has different educational patterns and have different systems in place. However, there are some basic differences that are palpable to every parent and based upon which it becomes easy to choose one of the two types of schools.

What is Private School?

The private school is a school funded by a private organization or an NGO. At first glance, it is clear to everyone that private schools have got more facilities, better equipment, and buildings but heavier study load than government schools. The fee structure is also higher in private schools. Curricula and playtime are well structured in private schools. In South East Asia and other developing countries, private schools are better at the pre-nursery and nursery classes as they maintain much better standards and quality of education along with quality environment for small kids. There is wide variation in private schools as they do not have restrictions on the usage of funds.

When it comes to teachers, there are no compulsions in private schools for the teachers to have state certification to be able to work in the school. Private schools can deny admission on flimsy grounds as the admission criteria is decided by the school.

What is Government School?

Government schools are funded by the government of the country. This can be at national level or the state level. Government schools have a low fee structure as they are being aided and funded by state and federal governments. In government schools, there is more play time than subject studies. This is good for pre nursery and nursery classes as there is not much to teach a child and a kid learns everything in a playful manner. Thus, it is better to let a kid study in a government school if you are on a tight budget till elementary classes than pay substantially higher in private schools. However, this assessment is based upon the government schools in Western countries.

Government schools have many commonalities because of guidelines on the usage of financial resources. As far as teachers are concerned, teachers need to have state certifications to be able to work in public or government schools. Government schools have to grant admission to all kids living within the boundaries of their state.

What is the difference between Government and Private School?

• Control:

• Private schools are run by private companies or NGO’s.

• Government schools are run by government agencies or are funded by government at state and federal levels.

• Fees:

• Private schools have a higher fee structure depending upon their reputation.

• Government schools have lower fee structure as they are mostly funded.

• Selection of Teachers:

• There are no criteria for selection of teachers in private schools.

• State certifications are a must in government schools.

• Admission:

• There are grounds on which a school can deny admission to a child in the case of private schools.

• Government schools cannot deny admission to any child if that child lives within the geographical area designated for the school.

• Technology:

• Private schools usually have good technology as they get a higher fee for their maintenance. However, there can be exceptions.

• The technology in government schools depends on the school. It can be out dated or up to date.

• Curriculum:

• Private school curriculum is the decision of the school board.

• Government school curriculum is decided at the national or state level.

In the end, it would suffice to say that in most Asian countries, it is the private schools that are considered more prestigious and worthy of all the fees that they charge for education. This is because of the general perception that private schools shape up the future of the child in a better manner than government schools, which are not particularly impressive in these countries. However, there are some countries where government schools are giving private schools a run for their money and are considered better than private schools.

 

Images Courtesy:

  1. Arncliffe Al-Zahra Private School by J Bar (CC BY-SA 3.0)
  2. HK Shau Kei Wan Government Secondary School by Au Manwen (CC BY-SA 3.0)