This paper examines the role of private schools in primary education in sub-Saharan
Africa (SSA). All SSA countries have committed to the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs), which include gender equity in access in to schooling by 2005, and universal primary
education (UPE) by 2015. Previous research suggests that private schools in countries with low
supply provide low-quality alternatives to public schools. This study examines the use of private
schools in primary education in Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia. The results indicate that
the role of private schools varies more than previous theories suggest. The impact of private
markets on the quality and quantity of schooling varies with context of the public education
system.