Relationships between Christian schools and the state: a comparative analysis for five sub-Saharan African countries

Abstract

This article provides a comparative analysis of Christian faith-based schooling in five African countries, including data on the proportions of faith-based schools, financing models, and forms of organization vis-à-vis the state. The case studies represent different forms and models. In all of the countries, at least one in six schools is run by a church. Christian churches do not see themselves as ‘private schools’ but as public providers working for the public common good. Faith-based schools contribute not only to making sure that children go to school and learn while in school, but also to sharing ideals ranging from social justice and equity, to peace and democracy, and social participation and inclusion. The article concludes with some reflections on future challenges for faith-based schools, mainly related to their funding and the lack of data to assess challenges and opportunities.

Keywords:

• Catholic schools
• protestant schools
• Africa
• regulatory framework
• funding
• government policy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 UNESCO (2014) defines private schools as ‘institutions that are not operated by public authorities but are controlled and managed, whether for profit or not, by private bodies, such as non-governmental organizations, religious bodies, special interest groups, foundations or business enterprises’. Day Ashley et al. (2014) define non-governmental schools as ‘dependent on user fees to cover all or part of their operational and development costs’ and ‘managed largely independently of the state, and are owned and/or founded independently of the state,’ The authors admit that their definition is not sufficiently discriminating in the light of the complexity of the field. They exclude non-governmental schools run by public bodies from their study, for example schools operated and sponsored by churches or NGOs.

2 For Protestant schools in Rwanda, Wenz (2020) shows that (i) in a third of the schools, non-Protestants make up the majority of pupils; (ii) the rate of girls’ enrolment is above the national average and more girls graduate than at other types of schools; (iii) the schools are comparatively located more in poor areas; and (iv) the rate of pupils passing the national exam is higher compared to other school boards, and the rate of pupils completing primary school is also higher. See also Plötz (in prep).

3 In addition, faith-based schools that are government-aided receive support for construction and renovation. For secondary education, only the best students based on national examinations are given access to state secondary schools and government aided faith-based schools, so that non-aided schools often become a second choice for parents.

4 Voucher schools can be operated by the government or non-government providers or both, depending on the education system (Wenz 2020).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Annette Scheunpflug

Annette Scheunpflug is with Otto-Friedrich University of Bamberg in Germany.

Mark Wenz

Mark Wenz is with Otto-Friedrich University of Bamberg in Germany.

Mimii Brown Rubindamayugi

Mimii Brown Rubindamayugi is with Biblical College in Tanzania.

Jean Kasereka Lutswamba

Jean Kasereka Lutswamba is with Université Libre des Pays des Grand Lac in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Frederick Njobati

Frederick Njobati is with ISTP Training Center in Cameroun.

Christine Nyiramana

Christine Nyiramana is with Protestant University of Rwanda in Rwanda.

Samuel Mutabazi

Samuel Mutabazi is with Protestant University of Rwanda in Rwanda

Claude Ernest Njoya

Claude Ernest Njoya is with Université Evangelique du Cameroun in Cameroon.

Onja Raharijaona

Onja Raharijaona is with FJKM National School Department in Madagascar.

Quentin Wodon

Quentin Wodon is with the World Bank and the Global Catholic Education project.