Public Education A Public Good - Report on Privatization of K-12 Education in Canada

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Mia

Report examines how privatization in K-12 education in Canada expands alongside neo-liberal ideology, focusing on threats to educational equity, quality, and education as a public good. It distinguishes between privatization of public education and privatization in public education, then analyzes corporate strategies and mechanisms such as partnerships, technology platforms, standardized testing, teacher licensing, and data-driven influence. The document also addresses blended learning narratives and the commercialization potential of big data in education.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages60

Reading Time2 h 31 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

CTF Member Organizations

Other Teacher Organizations

A Glimpse at the Education Privatization Landscape – Some Overall Observations

Appendices

Appendix A – Policy and/or position paper on education privatization

Appendix B – Guidelines for partnerships/alliances on corporate involvement in education

Public Education A Public Good Report on Privatization of K-12 Education in Canada [w w w. c t f-f c e . c a](w w w. c t f-f c e . c a) Author Bernie Froese-Germain is a Researcher at the Canadian Teachers’ Federation. Research Bernie Froese-Germain and Gemma Pinchin Layout Lynne Richard Cover Design Nathalie Hardy Translation Marie-Hélène Larrue and Marie-Caroline Uhel Canadian Teachers’ Federation 2490 Don Reid Drive Ottawa, Ontario K1H 1E1 Tel: 613-232-1505 or 1-866-283-1505 (toll free) Fax: 613-232-1886 [www.ctf-fce.ca](www.ctf-fce.ca) Copyright © 2016 by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada. Any reproduction in whole or in part without the prior written consent of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation is prohibited. ISBN 978-0-88989-415-0 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 CTF Member Organizations ...................................................................................................................................................4 Other Teacher Organizations ............................................................................................................................................. 30 A Glimpse at the Education Privatization Landscape – Some Overall Observations ..................................... 33 Appendices Appendix A – Policy and/or position paper on education privatization ............................................................ 37 Appendix B – Guidelines for partnerships/alliances on corporate involvement in education .................. 47 INTRODUCTION “The profit motive has no place in dictating what is taught, how it’s taught, how it’s assessed nor how our schools are organised.” ‐ Angelo Gavrielatos Education privatization has grown in tandem with the spread of neo-liberal ideology around the globe. While the privatization of education is not a new phenomenon, what has changed over the past few decades is the sheer scope, scale and penetration of privatization in the education sector. The Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) believes strongly that public education must remain independent of privatization because it undermines educational equity and quality, and it erodes the principles of education as a basic human right and a public good. In its project strategy paper,“A Global Response to Commercialisation and Privatisation In/Of Education”, Education International (EI) usefully distinguishes between privatisation of public education and privatisation in public education: 􀁸 Privatisation of public education – these are forms of privatisation which “involve the opening up of public education services to private sector participation on a for-profit basis and using the private sector to design, manage or deliver aspects of public education.” Examples include public-private partnerships (P3s); student information systems; online learning; contracting out education services; corporate influence on educational decision-making. 􀁸 Privatisation in public education – these are “forms of privatisation [which] involve the importing of ideas, techniques and practices from the private sector in order to make the public sector more like businesses and more business-like.” Examples include merit pay schemes; evaluating teachers on the basis of student test scores; the role of school administrators as business managers vs. instructional leaders. EI describes UK-based Pearson PLC as “the most profitable corporation operating in the global education market”. It has rebranded itself as the “world’s leading education company”, operating in over 90 countries with global sales in the billions of dollars. Pearson’s corporate strategy is based on “creating a vertical integration of its products, most of which are technology

FAQs

What distinction does the report make between two forms of education privatization?

It differentiates privatization of public education, where public services are opened to private for-profit participation to design, manage, or deliver, from privatization in public education, where private-sector ideas and practices are imported to make the public sector more business-like.

How does the report describe Pearson’s corporate approach to education?

It presents Pearson as pursuing a vertically integrated strategy tied to technology, covering content provision, tracking student data via information systems, standardized testing and preparation, teacher licensing tests, and operating schools in addition to other education-related services.

Why does the Canadian Teachers’ Federation oppose education privatization?

The report states that CTF believes public education must remain independent of privatization because it undermines educational equity and quality and erodes education’s principles as a basic human right and a public good.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Mia