School Choice: Between Prestige and Affordability
I became interested in the intricacies of school choice a few years ago, when I began to closely observe household decision trends, with respect to school transitions in my local community. I started by interviewing parents who had children in the basic education age brackets. A considerable majority were concerned that the cognitive achievements of their young children were not at par with those of children from comparator schools. Many were willing to pay additional fees to get their wards enrolled in high-performing prestigious schools even though they were farther away from their homesteads. Low-income households tend to patronise and may prefer low-cost private schools to overcrowded and dilapidated public schools. Even though school ads and bill boards may attract some business, prospective clients utilise self-driven fact finding missions. Many engage members of their social and business networks to obtain firsthand school testimonials. For many parents of preschoolers, schools