School Choice and Educational Stratification

Parental Rationales for Low-Fee Private Schools in Urban Angola

Abstract

This brief report examines the socio-economic rationales driving parental preference for low-fee private schools (LFPS) in urban Angola, a phenomenon contributing to educational stratification. As public education systems across Africa face capacity challenges, LFPS have proliferated, yet parental motivations in the Angolan context remain underexplored. This qualitative study investigates the decision-making criteria of parents in Luanda, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 25 families from diverse economic backgrounds. Findings reveal that parental choice is not solely driven by perceptions of superior academic quality. Instead, key rationales include the pursuit of social distinction and a symbolic break from the perceived disorder of the public system. Parents associate LFPS with enhanced social networks, stricter disciplinary codes, and a more predictable school environment, viewing these as critical investments in their children’s future social mobility. The study argues that these choices, while rational from an individual household perspective, are exacerbating social segregation by creaming off more engaged families and resources from the public sector. This underscores an urgent need for Angolan and similar African education policies to address the underlying drivers of this demand by strengthening public education accountability and quality, thereby mitigating the stratifying effects of an expanding private sector on the pursuit of equitable education for all.