10 years shifting policies, narratives and practices on the right to education

2025 marks ten years of PEHRC working together to advance the right to education. To celebrate this occasion, we are reflecting on the community’s journey so far – the learning, growth and collective achievements. 

In 2015, millions of children were denied their right to quality education

Ten years ago approximately 100 million learners were not finishing primary education, and despite years of work by the global education community, inequality in education had  worsened. 

At the same time, privatisation in education was increasing rapidly worldwide. Not only were we seeing a growth in elite private schools, but also a rapid expansion of low-cost profit-making schools targeting poor households, such as Bridge International Academies. Other forms of privatisation were increasing too including public-private partnerships, commercial investments in private school chains and voucher programmes. Behind these trends, was a global elite advocating for more privatisation, motivated by “profit”, “ideology” and “a desire for immediate solutions” to complex educational challenges. 

The rapid increase in privatisation rang alarm bells for civil society organisations. They were concerned about the impact on children’s rights to quality, free, equitable education. 

Civil society organisations join forces

In 2015 ten civil society actors from across the world decided to work together to analyse and respond to the challenges posed by the growth of private actors in education. They founded the Privatisation in Education and Human Rights Consortium, united by a determination to advocate for the human right to free, quality, public education.

Evidence shows that privatisation threatens the right to education for all

During the late 2010s, ever increasing evidence was produced by the academic community and civil society on the challenges facing public education and the consequences of education privatisation for learners, parents, teachers and communities. PEHRC facilitated many of the key civil society publications over this period through collaborative spaces.

Key takeaways from the research from 2015-2020:

• “There is a lack of evidence to support the bold claims made in favour of scaling up private education provision, and specifically low-fee private schools, in low- and middle-income countries.”

• “Low-fee private schools have been shown to disproportionately exclude girls and exploit the labor rights of teachers, who are predominently women in many countries.”

• “The biggest obstacles to expanding financing for education are in the international financial systems that perpetuate a colonial relationship of extraction and control.”

PEHRC members raise concerns across the world

The extensive evidence on the risks of education privatisation drove civil society organisations globally into action. 

With support from each other through PEHRC, civil society organisations began to challenge actors supporting privatisation. For example, members of the PEHRC community raised awareness of the impact of low-fee private schools. Together, the organisations:

• Published collective statements: In 2017, 174 organisations endorsed a statement drawing attention to the impact of Bridge International Academies, a chain of low-fee commercial schools, and calling for their investors to divest.

• Contacted investors highlighting evidence of the negative consequences of their investments.

• Held panels at the World Bank and at the Comparative and International Education Society events.

During this time, right to education advocates across the world also challenged International Financial Institutions and bilateral donors on their investments in private for-profit education.

Despite significant progress, the right to education remains at risk

However, austerity policies, aid conditionalities, tax and debt injustices continue to starve our public education systems of vital funding. The result: public education systems are struggling to deliver quality, inclusive, free education for all children, driving negative narratives about our public education systems. 

Pro-privatisation actors are capitalising on the negative narratives and proposing privatisation policies and initiatives, which take public money away from public schools. The loss of this taxpayer money makes it even harder for our public education systems to deliver quality education. At the same time, privatisation fails to solve the core educational challenges of access and quality.

We need to support public education now more than ever

Adequately funded public education can transform lives, opening up economic, social and cultural opportunities for individuals. Strong public education systems benefit not just individual learners or marginalised communities, but all of us. 

Strong, well-funded public education systems can:

• Foster engaged citizens able to respond to today’s global challenges and lead social change.

• Strengthen transparency and accountability, rebuilding trust in our democratic institutions.

• Guarantee equity and inclusion of all learners, including persons with disabilities, creating social cohesion and peaceful societies. 

• Advance gender equity, ensuring all girls and women can flourish.

• Scale innovation and good quality education effectively and efficiently. Examples from across the world show that public education can and does already deliver good quality education.

• Be resilient in the face of crises, continuing to deliver good quality education.

Political systems around the world are struggling to resist autocracy and foster democracy. At the same time, countries are facing a gender backlash. As a result, we now need strong public education systems more than ever. 

Public education is vital for democracy, equity, social cohesion, peace and the rights of women and girls.

Improving public education systems globally is possible

The recent global youth protests show the growing public desire to strengthen public services, including education. Crucially, there are viable routes to improve our public education systems and deliver quality, free, equitable public education for all. Across the world, we see successful examples of policymakers improving their education systems through diverse approaches from increasing education funding and investing in teachers to engaging with young people. 

A positive vision for the future

In 2025, the Privatisation in Education and Human Rights Consortium changed its name to the Public Education and Human Rights Coalition (still PEHRC!). In keeping with our member-led governance model, our members chose the community’s new name. 

PEHRC members chose our new name because:

• We are united by the transformative potential of public education and human rights. 

• The name highlights our positive vision for the future – a world where the human right to free, inclusive, quality, public education is fully realised. PEHRC members work together to transform this right into a reality for all. 

As a network, we continue to counter privatisation in education as a means to advance the right to education for all. 

Exciting steps ahead 

Over the past decade, the PEHRC community has seen significant organic growth from ten to over 160 members. Our collective has also become increasingly diverse, with members spreading across five continents and representing students, teachers, civil society, academics and human rights organisations among others.

As we enter PEHRC's second decade, the coalition is excited to enter a new phase of its advocacy for well-funded public education. Our members will be sharing more externally about our shared concerns, pathways for change and positive vision for the future of education. 

We invite you to come along with us on this journey to advance the right to education for all!

• Follow our collective work via PEHRC’s new newsletter.

• Connect with the public education movement via PEHRC’s LinkedIn page.

• Join over 110 organisations worldwide by endorsing our Reclaiming Public Education For All statement.

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Summary

• PEHRC is celebrating 10 years of advancing the right to education by countering privatisation and advocating for strengthening public education systems.

• Originally named the Privatisation in Education and Human Rights Consortium, the network has recently adopted its new name the Public Education and Human Rights Coalition. The new name reflects the network’s positive vision for the future.

• The Coalition is excited to enter a new phase of advocacy for well-funded, quality public education.