Educating Marginalized Communities in East and Southeast Asia: State, civil society and NGO partnerships

Despite the enshrinement by the United Nations in 1948 of education as a universal human right, and despite the ideals espoused in the Education for All declaration in Dakar in 1990, it is patently clear that these ideals remain far from realized for a substantial portion of humankind. Especially at risk are vulnerable segments of society such as women, migrants, refugees, rural populations, ethnic minorities, and the financially disadvantaged. This book centres on efforts to provide education to these marginalized populations in the East and Southeast Asian region. Of particular interest are questions of financing and control. As various governments have struggled to manage the escalating costs of building schools, training teachers and educating students, the topic of public private partnerships in educational provision has assumed growing importance. The seven chapters presented here highlight a variety of partnerships among state, civil society and non-government organisations (NGOs).

Kuah Khun Eng is Professor of Anthropology and Head of the School of Arts and Social Sciences at Monash University, Malaysia. She was previously the Head of the Department of Sociology and Honorary Director of the Centre for Anthropological Research at the University of Hong Kong.

Jason Tan is Associate Professor at the Department of Policy and Leadership Studies at the National Institute of Education, Singapore.